1863 


.*          <Vt-UB»AI!Y0/. 

' 


THE 


OF 


THE  WAR  IN  AMERICA, 


COLLECTED  FROM  OFFICIAL  AND  OTHER  AUTHENTIC  SOURCES, 


AN    AMEKICAN    CITIZEN. 


NEW   YORK : 

PRESS   OF   WYNKOOP,   HALLENBECK    &   THOMAS, 

No.    113   FULTON   STREKT. 

1863. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1863, 
BY  WTNKOOP,  HALLENBECK  &  THOMAS, 

In  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern 
District  of  New  York. 


THE  PHILANTHROPIC  RESULTS 


WAR    IN    AMERICA. 


The  Proclamation  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  on  the  loth  of  April,  1861,  announcing  the  fall 
of  Fort  Sumter,  and  calling  for  troops  to  defend  the  na- 
'  tion  from  treason  and  rebellion,  found  an  instant  re- 
sponse in  the  nation's  heart.  Not  only  did  the  brave 
and  stalwart  men  of  the  Republic  offer  themselves  in 
numbers  far  beyond  the  Government's  demand,  but 
treasure  was  poured  out  like  water,  for  the  supply  of 
all  the  wants  of  the  army  which  was  to  be  created  for 
the  suppression  of  the  rebellion. 

The  Legislatures  of  most  of  the  loyal  States  met  in 
extra  session,  and  without  waiting  to  see  whether  there 
was  any  probability  that  the  national  treasury  would 
reimburse  their  expenditure,*  voted  large  sums  for 
arming  and  equipping  troops.  The  aggregate  amounts 

*  The  credit  of  the  national  treasury  was,  at  this  time,  sadly  impaired 
by  the  gross  mismanagement  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  under  the 
former  administration  (Howell  Cobb),  who  had  finally  filled  up  the  meas- 
ure of  his  crimes  by  adding  treason  to  his  malfeasance  in  office. 

594164 


- 


thus  advanced  by  the  States,  within  three  weeks  after 
the  President's  proclamation,  was  $23,240,000.  This 
was  no  unwilling  contribution  wrung  by  the  hand  of 
arbitrary  power  from  the  hard  earnings  of  the  people ; 
on  the  contrary,  it  was  offered  without  urgency,  except 
by  the  people  themselves ;  the  sums  fixed  upon  were 
voted  with  hardly  a  dissenting  voice,  and  the  action  of 
the  several  Legislatures  met  with  the  most  hearty  ap- 
proval from  their  constituents. 

About  $12,000,000  of  the  amount  was  subsequently 
refunded  by  the  General  Government.  The  border 
States,  Delaware,  Maryland,  Kentucky  and  Missouri, 
and  the  Pacific  States,  California  and  Oregon,  did  not 
at  this  time,  make  any  legislative  grants. 

But  the  liberality  displayed  in  furnishing  money  for 
the  equipment  of  soldiers  at  this  first  outbreak  of  the 
war,  was  not  confined  to  the  Legislatures ;  nearly  every 
city  and  considerable  town  throughout  the  loyal  States 
made  its  subscription,  both  by  vote  of  its  municipal 
authorities,  and  by  the  spontaneous  contributions  of  its 
business  corporations  and  its  citizens.  Before  the  6th  of 
May,  1861,  New  York  city  had  contributed  $2,173,000 ; 
Philadelphia,  $330,000;  Boston,  $168,000;  Cincin- 
nati, $280,000;  Buffalo,  $110,000,  and  other  cities  and 
towns  in  like  proportion.  An  imperfect  list;  which 
gave  less  than  half  the  cities  and  towns  which  had  sub- 
scribed for  the  equipment  of  troops,  showed  an  aggre- 
gate of  $4,877,000.  The  entire  amount  must  have 


considerably  exceeded  $7,000,000.  From  these  two 
sources,  then,  in  the  first  three  weeks  of  the  rebellion, 
was  an  aggregate  contribution  of  over  $30,000,000,  to 
the  fitting  out  of  the  volunteer  army.  After  deducting 
the  $12,000,000  refunded  by  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment, there  still  -remained  more  than  $18,000,000  of 
absolute  donation. 

It  may  be  said  that  this  was  no  deliberate,  well-con- 
sidered liberality,  springing  from  generous  principle, 
but  the  result  of  a  wild,  frantic  excitement,  from  which 
the  sober  second  thought  of  the  nation  revolted,  and 
which  was  the  subject  of  subsequent  regrets.  The  his- 
tory of  the  time  proves  just  the  reverse. 

It  was  soon  found  that  the  task  of  quelling  the  rebel- 
lion was  one  of  gigantic  proportions ;  that  the  conspi- 
rators had  been  for  years  maturing  their  plans,  and  that 
their  treason  could  only  be  crushed  out  by  the  array  of 
an  overwhelming  force.  In  his  message  of  July  4, 
President  Lincoln  suggested  the  propriety  of  calling  for 
400,000  men,  and  voting  $400,000,000  for  the  work. 
Congress  responded  by  authorizing  calls  for  one  million 
of  men,*  and  $500,000,000.  The  work  of  raising  and 
equipping  such  an  army  was  entirely  beyond  the  expe- 
rience of  any  man  in  this  country ;  beyond,  indeed,  the 
experience  of  any  men  of  modern  times ;  for  large  as 

*  Congress  probably  intended  to  authorize  the  raising  of  only  500,000  ; 
but,  in  reality,  two  separate  acts,  July  22  and  July  25,  were  passed, 
each  authorizing  the  raising  of  500,000  men.  Under  these  acts,  780,000 
were  actually  raised. 


some  of  the  armies  of  modern  Europe  have  been,  no 
single  power  had  called  a  million  of  new  troops  into 
the  field  within  a  twelvemonth. 

While  the  Government  disbursed  liberally  for  the 
bounties,  uniforms,  equipment,  arming,  and  rations  for 
these  troops,  there  were  other  expenses  connected  with 
the  organizations  of  the  regiments  which  were  met  from 
private  or  municipal  sources,  of  very  large  amount  in 
the  aggregate,  larger  in  some  regiments  than  others; 
but  in  those  from  Eastern  States  averaging  somewhat 
more  than  $25,000  (some  regiments  cost  over  $75,000), 
and  in  the  Western  States  from  $15,000  to  $20,000. 
The  regimgits  thus  raised  to  January,  1862,  were  a  lit- 
tle more  than  eight  hundred,  and  the  aggregate  re- 
cruiting by  individuals  and  corporations  was  over 
$16,000,000. 

Attention  was  early  called  to  the  sanitary  condition 
and  wants  of  the  army,  and  already,  in  the  early  part 
of  the  summer  of  1861,  large  sums  of  money  and  sup- 
plies of  all  sorts — havelocks  to  protect  them  from  sun- 
stroke, woollen  socks,  and  undershirts,  rubber  blankets, 
and  clothing  for  hospital  purposes,  dried  fruits,  books, 
pamphlets,  and  newspapers)— were  contributed  for  the 
improvement  of  the  health  and  morals  of  the  soldiers. 
There  were  already  hospitals  for  sick  soldiers,  and  to 
these  large  contributions  were  made  of  such  articles  as 
the  medical  department,  under  its  existing  regulations, 
could  not  furnish.  But  it  was  not  till  after  the  battle 


of  Bull  Run,  July  21,  1861,  that  the  necessity  for  en- 
larged liberality  in  providing  for  the  sick  and  wounded 
soldier  began  to  be  felt,  and  the  promptness  with  which 
supplies  were  forwarded  to  the  hospitals  of  Washing- 
ton and  Alexandria  on  that  occasion,  and  the  readiness 
with  which  the  most  skillful  physicians  and  surgeons,  and 
the  most  competent  nurses,  volunteered  their  services, 
without  fee  or  reward,  demonstrated  most  conclusively 
that  it  was  no  evanescent  impulse,  but  a  fixed  principle 
of  patriotism,  which  moved  the  national  heart. 

The  sympathy  of  the  people  with  the  nation's  defend- 
ers was  manifested  also  in  another  direction.  When, 
on  the  20th  of  April,  the  New  York  Seventh  Militia, 
the  Massachusetts  Eighth,  and  several  other  regiments, 
on  their  way  to  the  defense  of  Washington,  reached 
Philadelphia,  and  there  learned  of  the  brutal  attack  of 
the  mob  upon  the  Massachusetts  Sixth  Regiment,  at 
Baltimore,  they  were  detained  for  twelve  hours  in  Phil- 
adelphia, and  patriotic  citizens  of  that  city,  many  of 
them  of  the  humbler  classes,  ministered  freely  to  their 
wants.  As  other  regiments  passed  through  the  city,  a 
noble-hearted  man,  Mr.  B.  S.  Brown,  undertook  to  pro- 
vide hot  coffee  for  them,  and  his  neighbors  contributed 
cold  ham,  bread,  butter,  and  other  articles  of  food, 
and  as  regiments  came  almost  every  night,  it  grew 
into  a  custom,  that  upon  the  firing  of  a  signal-gun,  an- 
nouncing the  approach  of  a  regiment,  the  people  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  Navy  Yard,  where  the  regiments 


landed,  assembled,  many  of  them  after  wearisome 
toil  through  the  day,  and  welcomed  the  soldiers, 
and  provided  liberally  for  their  comfort  and  wants. 
The  citizens  of  Philadelphia  contributed  freely  for  the 
maintenance  of  this  spontaneous  charity,  and  there  are 
to-day  two  vast  structures,  each  capable  of  feeding  a 
half  regiment  at  once,  known  as  the  Union  Volunteer 
Kefreshment  Saloon,  and  the  Cooper  Shop  Refresh- 
ment Saloon,  to  which  the  wearied  soldier,  going  to  the 
field  or  returning  from  the  scene  of  his  triumphs,  is 
welcomed,  and  provided  with  abundance  of  water  for 
washing  away  the  dust  and  stains  of  travel,  an  ample 
repast,  made  more  grateful  by  the  fair  hands  which 
minister  to  his  wants,  and,  if  sick  or  wounded,  a 
comfortable  bed,  and  attendance — for  hospitals  have 
grown  up  in  connection  with  these  saloons — where  the 
sick  or  wounded  soldier  may  find  the  best  of  care.*  It 
was  characteristic  of  the  feeling  of  sympathy  which 
actuated  the  masses  that,  in  Philadelphia,  the  firemen 
said  to  each  other,  when  the  wounded  were  brought  to 
their  city,  and  carried  in  hired  conveyances  to  the  hos- 
pitals :  "  These  poor  fellows  deserve  tenderer  care  and 
handling  than  they  will  receive  from  hired  hackmen  ; 
we  will  build  ambulances  for  them,  and  carry  them  to 
the  hospitals  ourselves."  To  this  thoughtfulness  it  is 
owing  that  there  are  now  twenty-six  of  these  ambulan- 
ces, luxurious  affairs,  costing  from  $500  to  $800  each, 

*  See  Appendix  H. 


drawn  by  two  horses,  and  kept  always  ready  in  the  en- 
gine houses  of  the  fire  companies  for  the  transporta- 
tion of  sick  and  wounded,  and  that  in  these  they  are 
carried,  attended  by  firemen,  and  handled  as  gently  as 
a  mother  would  handle  her  infant,  to  the  hospitals,  and 
without  any  compensation.  The  various  plans  for  the 
relief  of  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  took  form  and 
shape  in  a  variety  of  organizations  during  the  summer 
and  autumn  of  1861,  each  crystallizing  around  some 
central  idea  or  purpose  of  local  or  general  character, 
but  all  having  in  view  the  soldier's  welfare. 
(  The  United  States  Sanitary  Commission,  created  V 
June  9,  1861,  by  an  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War,)  in 
consequence  of  the  solicitation  of  Rev.  Dr.  Bellows,  Dr. 
E,.  C.  Wood,  acting  Surgeon-General  of  the  Army,  and 
others,  not  only  ministered  to  the  comfort  and  watched 
over  the  health  of  the  soldier  in  the  camp,  but  dis- 
tributed its  counsels  in  regard  to  the  location  and 
preparation  of  camps,  the  preparation  of  food,  the 
maintenance  of  cleanliness,  protection  from  miasma, 
and  the  treatment  of  surgical  and  medical  diseases  of 
the  camps,  and  at  the  same  time  gathered  and  dis- 
tributed supplies  of  lint,  bandages,  medicines,  cordials, 
delicacies,  and  hospital  clothing  and  furniture  for  those 
in  the  hospitals.  *  The  Western  Sanitary  Commission, 
created  by  an  order  of  Major-General  Fremont, 
September  5,  1861,  performed  a  similar  work  at  the 

*  See  Appendix  A. 


10 

West ;  *  the'vChristian  Alliance  furnished  religious  and 
moral  reading,  newspapers,  books,  and"  magazines  to 
the  sick  and  well;)  the  Bible  and  Tract  Societies 
distributed  copies  of  the  New  Testament,  hymn  books, 
religious  books,  and  tracts  among  them,  f  and  all  over 
the  land,  Soldiers'  Relief,  Soldiers'  Aid,  and  Union  Relief 
Societies  collected  stores  of  clothing  and  delicacies  for 
the  sick,  and  employed  the  hearts,  hands,  and  heads  of 
tens  of  thousands  of  patriotic  women  in  labors  of  love, 
for  the  benefit  of  the  soldiers  in  the  field  and  in  the 

hospital.  J 

There  was  another  direction  in  which  there  was  a  call 
for  large-handed  liberality.  While  the  pay  of  the  volun- 
teer soldiers  was  liberal,  and  decidedly  higher  than  that 
of  other  nations,  and  was  in  many  cases  a  higher  com- 
pensation than  had  been  received  by  some  of  the  volun- 
teers in  civil  life,  it  was  with  many  others  much  less  than 
their  previous  earnings,  and  from  the  financial  diificul- 
ties  of  the  Government  at  the  beginning  of  the  war, 
was  not,  for  many  months,  so  promptly  paid  as  it  should 
have  been ;  and  the  greedy  sutler  and  the  gambler  were 
ready  to  fleece  the  soldier  of  his  pay  in  advance,  and 
without  any  just  equivalent.  Hence  it  happened,  that 
in  many  cases  the  families  of  the  soldiers  were  in  danger 
of  suffering  for  want  of  the  means  of  support,  and  in 
some  cases  did  suffer.  To  alleviate  this  distress  was 
felt  to  be  a  duty,  and  in  some  States,  the  State  authori- 

*  See  appendix  B.    t  See  appendix  D.    \  See  appendices  .Fand  G. 


11 

ties,  in  others,  the  counties  or  towns,  and  in  all, 
individuals,  gave  liberally  to  the  support  of  the  families 
of  volunteers.  Usually  this  assistance  was  in  the  form 
of  a  weekly,  or  monthly  stipend  to  the  wife,  sisters,  or 
mother  of  the  soldier,  which  was  increased  if  there 
were  children  dependent  on  them  for  support.  In 
many  cases,  also,  food,  clothing,  medicines,  and  medical 
attendance  were  contributed.  The  aggregate  of  these 
appropriations  was  very  large  :  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
up  to  May,  1863,  $2,500,000  had  been  appropriated  by 
the  city  government,  beside  about  $250,000  from  the 
Union  Defense  Fund;  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  $1,000,000  ; 
in  Philadelphia,  $1,500,000;  in  Baltimore,  nearly 
$400,000 ;  while  the  cities  and  towns  of  Massachusetts 
have  given  $4,315,285  for  the  purpose;  Illinois,  over  a 
million ;  Maine,  $2,750,000 ;  Connecticut,  from  the  State 
treasury  alone,  $834,076 ;  Vermont,  in  extra  pay  to  the 
soldiers  for  their  families  $1,125,000,  and  other  States 
in  proportion.  The  amount  from  all  the  States,  includ- 
ing payments  of  counties,  cities,  towns,  and  individuals, 
has  exceeded  $25,000,000. 

During  the  year  1862  there  were  many  severe 
battles,  in  different  portions  of  the  extended  region 
occupied  by  the  armed  forces,  some  of  them  attended 
by  great  loss  of  life  and  numerous  casualties.  At  the 
West,  the  battles  of  Mill  Spring,  Fort  Donelson,  Shiloh, 
the  capture  of  Island  No.  Ten,  Corinth,  Memphis,  and 
New  Orleans,  the  battles  of  Fayetteville,  Baton  Kouge, 


12 

Cane  Hill,  Arkansas  Post,  Munfordsville,  Chaplin 
Hills,  luka,  and  Stone  River ;  and  in  the  East,  Wil- 
liamsburgh,  West  Point,  Fair  Oaks,  Winchester,  Cross 
Keys,  Port  Republic,  the  Seven  Days,  Cedar  Mountain, 
Centreville,  Groveton,  Chantilly,  South  Mountain, 
Antietam,  and  Fredericksburgh,  as  well  as  many 
skirmishes  and  actions  of  less  note,  kept  the  hospitals 
filled  with  the  wounded,  and  the  pestilential  swamps 
of  the  Chickahominy  proved  more  fatal  to  both  the 
Federal  and  Confederate  army  than  the  battle-field. 
While  the  medical  department  of  the  army  did  what 
it  could  to  alleviate  the  vast  suffering  so  heroically 
endured  by  our  brave  soldiers,  its  newly  developed 
resources  were  constantly  overtasked,  and  there  was  a 
wide  field  for  humane  effort  in  supplying  to  the  hospi- 
tals the  necessary  furniture  and  stores,  and  to  the  men 
suitable  changes,  clothing  in  place  of  that  soiled  and 
torn  on  the  battle-field,  new  dressings,  and  those  deli- 
cacies, drinks,  and  aliments  absolutely  necessary  for 
the  successful  treatment  of  the  sick. 

Here,  again,  there  was  occasion  for  an  appeal  to  the 
liberality  of  the  people,  and  like  all  those  which  had 
preceded  it,  it  was  answered  by  a  lavish  outpouring  of 
money,  supplies,  and  personal  service,  which  showed 
most  conclusively  that  it  was  a  pleasure  to  give.  In 
some  of  the  States,  a  contingent  fund  was  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  Governor,  to  be  expended  for  the  care  and 
removal  of  the  sick  and  wounded;  in  others,  special 


13 

appropriations  of  large  amount  were  made  for  the  pur- 
pose; in  all,  the  spontaneous  contributions,  in  the 
churches,  at  public  gatherings,  and  in  response  to  ap- 
peals through  the  public  prints,  were  so  abundant  that 
there  was  no  lack  wherever  the  supplies  could  be  for- 
warded. The  Pacific  States,  which,  from  their  remote 
position,  had  not  hitherto  been  called  upon  for  assist- 
ance, responded  to  the  appeal  of  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion by  a  contribution  of  over  half  a  million  dollars ; 
and  from  every  quarter  the  supplies  poured  into  the 
treasuries  of  the  organizations  for  their  distribution,  in 
the  greatest  abundance.  In  most  of  the  large  cities, 
and  in  many  of  the  smaller  ones,  hospitals  for  soldiers 
were  established ;  and  while  the  Government  supplied 
the  rations  and  medicines,  the  people  supplied  every- 
thing else.  Washington  had  twenty-three  of  these 
hospitals,  Philadelphia,  thirty-two;  New  York  and 
Brooklyn,  fifteen ;  Boston,  five ;  and  Cincinnati,  Louis- 
ville, Chicago,  St.  Louis,  Indianapolis-,  Davenport,  Keo- 
kuk,  and  other  Western  cities,  each  a  considerable  num- 
ber. 

But  more  beautiful  and  touching  than  these  munifi- 
cent gifts  of  money  or  supplies,  were  the  offers  of  per- 
sonal service.  Physicians  and  surgeons,  the  most  emi- 
nent in  their  profession,  men  whose  services  commanded 
hundreds  of  dollars  per  day,  volunteered  by  scores  to 
go  to  the  battle-field  or  the  temporary  hospital,  and  ex- 
erted their  best  skill  for  the  care  and  healing  of  the  coun- 


14 

try's  defenders.  Immediately  after  the  battle  of  Antie- 
tarn,  forty  of  the  most  eminent  physicians  of  New  York 
city  started  for  the  battle-field.  Clergymen,  pastors  of 
large  and  wealthy  congregations,  sought  the  opportu- 
nity of  ministering  to  the  sick  and  dying  soldier,  of 
breathing  into  the  ear,  fast  growing  dull  to  earthly 
sounds,  the  words  of  spiritual  consolation,  and  of  re- 
ceiving from  lips  soon  to  become  silent  in  death,  utter- 
ances of  faith  and  messages  of  love.  Senators  and  Kep- 
resentatives  in  Congress ;  Judges  of  the  highest  Courts, 
and  members  of  the  bar,  of  the  most  brilliant  reputa- 
tion, sought,  in  ministrations  to  these  wounded  and  dy- 
ing heroes,  to  taste  the  luxury  of  doing  good.  Among 
those  not  connected  with  the  learned  professions,  too, 
there  was  the  same  earnestness  and  self-sacrifice.  Men 
and  women  occupying  the  highest  social  position,  and 
of  large  wealth,  devoted  themselves  for  many  consecu- 
tive months  to  the  nursing  of  the  sick,  watching  over 
them,  ministering'  to  them  as  tenderly  as  if  members  of 
their  own  households;  and  in  many  instances,  fair 
maidens  and  comely  matrons,  who  a  year  or  two  before 
were  leaders  in  fashion  and  gayety,  kneeled  with  blood- 
soiled  garments,  to  wipe  the  death-damps  from  the 
brow  of  the  dying  volunteer;  and  those  who  before, 
would  have  shuddered  at  the  sight  of  death,  even  in  its 
most  placid  form,  became  familiar  with  its  horrors  in 
the  crowded  hospital,  or  on  the  field  of  carnage.  On 
that  gory  field  of  Antietam,  on  the  right  wing,  where 


15 

the  dead  of  Hooker's,  and  Mansfield's,  and  Sumner's,  and 
Franklin's  corps  lay  thickest,  from  the  early  dawn  till 
midnight,  a  young  and  gentle  woman,  in  whose  veins 
flowed  some  of  the  best  blood  of  Massachusetts,  toiled 
as  few  men  could  have  done,  staunching  wounds  which 
might  otherwise  have  proved  fatal,  administering  cor- 
dials to  the  fainting  soldier,  cheering  those  destined  to 
undergo  amputation,  moistening  lips  parching  with 
thirst,  giving  nourishing  food  to  those  who  had  sunk 
from  wounds  and  exhaustion,  and  ever  and  anon,  clos- 
ing eyes  that  had  looked  their  last  upon  earth,  or  re- 
ceiving and  noting  messages  of  love  to  absent  ones, 
from  those  about  to  depart  to  the  silent  land.  Nor 
was  this  her  first  experience  of  the  battle-field.  On 
that  succession  of  battles  before  Washington  in  August, 
so  constant  and  valuable  had  been  her  ministrations, 
that  the  surgeons  named  her  the  "  angel  of  the  battle- 
field." Many  as  are  the  uses  of  money,  and  much  as  it 
could  do  for  the  suffering  soldier,  how  worthless  do 
gifts  of  it  seem  beside  such  sacrifices  as  these  !* 

Among  the  other  enterprises  undertaken  for  the 
benefit  of  wounded  soldiers,  was  one  which  deserved 
success,  and  whose  failure  was  a  matter  of  reproach  to 
the  military  commander  and  the  civilians  by  whom 
that  failure  was  occasioned;  it  was  a  project  for  an 
ambulance  and  hospital  corps,  to  be  composed  of  men 
enlisted  for  the  purpose,  and  attached,  to  the  number 

*  See  Appendix  I. 


16 

of  about  twenty,  to  each  regiment,  capable,  in  case  of 
emergency,  of  doing  their  part  in  fighting,  but  having 
in  charge  the  ambulances,  litters,  and  stretchers,  belong- 
ing to  the  corps,  and  specially  trained  to  bring  wounded 
men  off  the  field,  to  administer  to  them  cordials  when 
needed,  to  check  hemorrhage  by  the  application  of  a 
temporary  tourniquet ;  to  preserve  the  valuables  and 
mementoes  of  the  slain,  for  after-identification,  and  in 
camp  to  act  as  nurses,  hospital  stewards,  and  attend- 
ants. 

The  projector  of  the  system  was  an  eminent  teacher 
of  New  York,*  who,  like  many  others,  had  devoted 
months  to  the  care  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  and  from 
the  results  of  his  experience  had  matured  his  plan  with 
great  care,  and  with  the  advice  and  approval  of  the 
most  eminent  military  and  civil  officers  of  the  Govern- 
ment ;  it  was  thoroughly  practical,  and  would  unques- 
tionably have  saved  hundreds,  if  not  thousands,  of 
precious  lives,  but  the  aversion  of  the  Commander-in- 
Chief  to  any  measures  or  plans  which  departed  from 
the  ordinary  routine  of  military  practice  led  him  to 
oppose  his  powerful  influence  to  it,  and  caused  its  defeat 
in  the  Senate.  Its  projector  had  labored  unwearingly, 
and  at  great  personal  sacrifice,  for  months,  for  its  success, 
but  its  failure  led  to  no  relaxation  of  his  efforts  in  be- 
half of  the  soldier. 

Among  other  forms  in  which  the  earnest  sympathy 

*  Appendix  J. 


17 

of  the  people  with  the  army  found  utterance,  was  the 
organization  of  the  Christian  Commission.  The  Young 
Men's  Christian  Associations  of  the  principal  cities  of 
the  North  had,  from  the  commencement  of  the  war, 
contributed  largely,  both  of  men  and  means,  to  the 
country's  service,  and  had  been  especially  active  in  col- 
lecting and  forwarding  supplies  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  on  the  battle-field. 

In  November,  1861,  at  a  convention  of  these  associa- 
tions, the  organization  of  an  Executive  Commission 
which  should  unite  and  extend  the  work  which  had 
previously  been  done  by  the  associations  separately, 
was  resolved  upon;  it  did  not,  however,  come  into 
active  operation  till  the  spring  of  1862.  Its  principal 
objects  are  the  care  of  the  physical  health  and  welfare 
of  the  soldier,  the  care  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  the 
moral  culture  and  improvement  and  religious  instruc- 
tion of  both  classes,  and  their  protection  from  frauds 
and  wrongs.  Its  agents  are  all  voluntary  and  unpaid, 
except  the  mere  cost  of  living,  and  the  large  amount  of 
supplies  distributed  by  it  are  forwarded  without  cost 
to  the  givers  or  to  the  recipients.  During  the  year  and 
five  months  (to  June  1)  of  its  existence,  it  has 
employed  about  six  hundred  delegates,  lay  and  clerical, 
and  has  expended  over  $100,000  in  money,  and  dis- 
tributed nearly  $400,000  in  supplies,  receiving  voluntary 
services  from  railroad  companies,  telegraph  lines,  and 

individuals,  valued  at  not  less  than  $100,000  more.  No 
3 


18 

appeal  which  it  has  made  to  the  public  for  contribu- 
tions has  ever  failed  to  meet  with  a  hearty  response.* 

Another  class  of  organizations  which  accomplished 
no  small  amount  of  good  among  the  soldiers,  were  the 
Missionary  Societies.f  The  American  Missionary 
Association ;  the  Free  Mission  Society ;  the  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society;  the  two  American 
Tract  Societies  (of  Boston  and  New  York) ;  the 
American  Sunday  School  Union,  and,  perhaps,  some 
other  religious  societies  have  had  their  missionaries 
and  colporteurs  among  the  soldiers,  who  have  rendered 
valuable  services  to  their  physical  and  moral  welfare. 
The  American  Bible  Society ;  the  Episcopal  Book  and 
Tract  Society ;  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication ; 
the  Presbyterian  (N.  S.)  Publication  Committee;  the 
Reformed  Dutch  Board  of  Publication,  as  well  as  the 
several  Tract  Societies,  <fec.,  have  also  made  large  grants 
of  religious  books  for  distribution  in  the  army.  J 

The  local  organizations  which  have  contributed 
money  and  supplies,  independently  of  the  Sanitary  or 
Christian  Commissions,  are  so  numerous  that  we  can 
only  mention  the  largest.  At  St.  Louis,  the  Western 
Sanitary  Commission  has  disbursed  in  money  $155,000, 
and  in  supplies  $395,000,  or  together  $550,000.§  In 
most  of  the  States  of  the  West  there  are  Sanitary 
organizations  not  connected  with  the  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission.  That  of  Illinois,  having  its 

*  See  Appendix  0.      t.  See  Appendix  E.       {  See  Appendix  D. 
§  See  Appendix  B. 


19 

/ 

headquarters  at  Chicago,  has  expended  $42,714  in 
money,  and  a  little  over  $300,000  in  supplies  ;  that  of 
Indiana,  over  $100,000 ;  that  of  Iowa  about  $58,000. 

Soldiers'  Homes  or  Rests,  places  where  the  soldier, 
going  to  the  army,  or  returning  on  furlough,  sick,  or  dis- 
charged, can  find  comfortable  quarters,  good  meals,  and 
friends  who  will  procure  for  him  his  bounty,  back  pay 
or  pensions,  and  who  will  secure  for  him  transporta- 
tion, <fec.,  all  without  compensation,  and  thus  protect 
him  from  the  sharpers  who  lie  in  wait  in  all  the  large 
cities  to  plunder  the  unsuspecting  soldier,  have  been 
established  in  all  the  principal  cities  East  and  West. 
We  have  reports  of  four  in  New  York,  three  in  Phila- 
delphia, one  in  Baltimore,  two  in  Washington,  and  one 
or  more  in  Pittsburgh,  Wheeling,  Cleveland,  Colum- 
bus, Cincinnati,  Chicago,  Indianapolis,  St.  Louis,  Louis- 
ville, Cairo,  Memphis,*  <fec.,  <fec. 

Ot  other  organizations,  the  New  England  Soldiers' 
Relief  Association,  founded  by  sons  of  New  England 
resident  in  New  York,  April  3,  1862,  is  one  of  the 
largest.  Its  disbursements  in  the  past  fourteen  months, 
have  been  very  large  both  in  money  and  supplies.  There 
are  also  agencies,  partly  defrayed  by  the  States  and 
partly  by  individual  contributions,  for  the  care  of  the 
soldiers  of  most  of  the  loyal  States.  The  Ladies'  Aid 
Society  of  Philadelphia,  one  of  the  earliest  and  most 
efficient  of  its  class,  has  expended  about  $44,000  in 

*  Appendix  H. 


20 

money,  and  not  far  from  $200,000  in  supplies.  There 
are  several  other  similar,  but  smaller  organizations  in 
Philadelphia  and  its  vicinity.  The  Union  Relief  Asso- 
ciation of  Baltimore  has  disbursed  in  money  and  sup- 
plies not  far  from  $50,000.*  In  Washington  there  are 
sixteen  so-called  State  Relief  Associations,  composed  of 
citizens  of  Washington  or  temporary  residents  there, 
formerly  from  the  different  States.  These  associations 
have  contributed  liberally  themselves,  and  have  receiv- 
ed supplies  and  money  from  the  States  which  they  rep- 
resent, which  they  have  distributed  by  their  own  com- 
mittees, without  cost,  to  the  soldiers  of  their  respective 
States,  in  the  hospitals  and  on  the  field.  The  amounts  thus 
distributed  are  estimated  by  these  associations  at  a  lit- 
tle more  than  $1,000,000.  Aside  from  these,  there  have 
been  distributed  by  ladies  resident  in  Washington,  sup- 
plies received  from  friends  and  local  associations  at  the 
North,  not  otherwise  credited,  to  the  amount,  as  ascer- 
tained by  the  most  careful  and  moderate  estimates,  of 
$1,045,000.  At  St.  Louis,  Louisville,  Cairo,  Nashville, 
and  on  the  battle-fields  of  the  West,  similar  distribu- 
tions have  been  made  in  very  large  amounts ;  in  hun- 
dreds of  instances,  towns  and  cities  raising  money  and 
supplies  in  amounts  varying  from  $500  to  $5,000,  and 
sending  them  to  the  field  after  a  battle,  by  a  voluntary, 
unpaid  agent  from  among  their  own  citizens.  After 
the  battle  of  Shiloh  alone,  it  is  estimated  by  cautious 

*  Appendices  F.  and  G. 


21 

men,  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  facts,  that  sup- 
plies to  the  amount  of  over  half  a  million  of  dollars  were 
forwarded  from  the  Northwestern  States.  Even 
while  we  write,  intelligence  comes  that  in  Illinois,  in 
answer  to  an  appeal  issued  May  27,  1863,  by  the  State 
Commissioner-General,  for  wounded  soldiers,  there  were 
received  in  nine  days  $12,500  in  money,  contributed  by 
small  towns,  only  one  of  them  having  so  many  as 
five  thousand  inhabitants,  and  more  than  five  times 
that  amount  in  supplies.  This,  be  it  remembered,  was 
after  not  less  than  a  dozen  previous  calls,  for  the  same 
purpose,  each  of  which  had  been  as  liberally  answered. 
The  aggregate  amount  of  this  class  of  contributions 
cannot  be  estimated  with  any  approach  to  accuracy ; 
and  the  chief  danger  in  any  estimate  which  may  be 
made,  is  of  putting  the  amount  much  below  the  truth. 
A  General  of  the  army  stationed  for  some  time  at  Cairo, 
and  subsequently  attached  in  turn,  to  the  army  of  the 
Mississippi,  the  army  of  the  Ohio,  and  the  army  of  the 
Cumberland,  gave  it  as  his  opinion,  the  result  of  exten- 
sive and  careful  observation,  that  these  contributions 
exceeded  $5,000,000,  and  others  whose  opportunities 
for  observation  were  as  good,  concurred  in  the  estimate. 
The  disasters  which  befel  the  army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  the  extraordinary  exertions  made  by  the  Confeder- 
ate authorities  to  call  into  the  field  as  large  a  force  as 
possible,  led  the  President,  in  July,  1862,  to  issue  a  call 
for  three  hundred  thousand  three-years'  troops,  and  in 


August,  a  second,  for  three  hundred  thousand  more,  for 
nine  months.  An  enrollment  was  ordered,  preparatory 
to  a  draft,  which  it  was  supposed  would  be  necessary 
for  raising  the  second  quota,  but  great  exertions  were 
made  by  the  States,  counties,  and  individuals  to  encour- 
age volunteering,  by  the  offer  of  liberal  bounties,  extra 
pay,  and  provision  for  families,  and  in  most  of  the 
States,  these  exertions  were  so  far  successful,  that  the 
quotas  were  nearly  or  quite  filled  without  resort  to  con- 
scription. The  sums  raised  for  bounties,  <fec.,  were  in 
many  of  the  States  very  large  ;  in  New  York,  the  State 
offered  a  bounty  of  $50  ;  the  county  of  New  York  $50 
additional,  the  county  of  Kings  $60,  and  some  of  the 
other  counties  $75  or  $100,  while  the  subscriptions  of 
wards,  districts,  and  individuals,  increased  the  amount 
in  some  instances  to  $250  or  even  $300.  The  average 
bounty  paid  in  the  State  was  computed  to  be  over  $150 
per  man,  aside  from  that  offered  by  the  General  Go- 
vernment. In  several  of  the  New  England  States  this 
amount  was  exceeded.  In  Rhode  Island,  and  in  Massa- 
chusetts, and  Connecticut,  in  many  towns,  the  amount 
of  bounty  (with  the  State  appropriation)  was  $300, 
$330,  and  in  one  or  two  cases  as  high  as  $375  per  man, 
and  the  average  for  these  three  States  was  over  $200. 
In  Philadelphia  an  appropriation  of  $500,000  was  made 
by  the  city,  and  a  fund  raised,  by  subscription,  of 
$486,270.49  for  the  purpose  of  paying  bounties,  and 
aiding  the  families  of  the  volunteers.  In  most  of  the 


23 

Western  States  the  amount  paid  for  bounties  was  very 
large.  In  many  instances  pledges  were  given  by  weal- 
thy citizens  to  pay  specified  sums  monthly  to  the  families 
of  volunteers.  An  approximate  estimate  of  the  amount 
of  these  bounties,  gives  an  aggregate  of  $34,300,000. 

The  claims  of  another  class,  reduced  to  destitution  by 
the  war,  to  be  relieved,  were  beginning  to  press  upon 
the  consideration  of  the  charitable.  In  those  sections 
of  the  Southern  States,  invaded  and  occupied  by  our 
troops,  the  slaveholders,  when  compelled,  from  their  ac- 
tive participation  in  the  rebellion,  to  abandon  their  es- 
tates, left,  for  the  most  part,  the  feeble  and  infirm  slaves 
upon  their  plantations — the  old  or  sickly  women,  and 
the  young  children — and  compelled  the  able-bodied 
slaves,  the  "  prime  hands,"  as  they  were  called,  to  go 
with  them  to  the  interior,  or  sold  them  in  the  States 
where  slavery  was  yet  regarded  as  safe.  Many  of  these 
afterward  escaped,  and  came  into  the  employ  of  the 
Union  forces  in  various  capacities.  But  the  feeble  and 
infirm  could  not  be  suffered  to  perish;  and  arrange- 
ments were  made,  under  Government  direction,  to  em- 
ploy such  of  them  as  were  able  to  work,  on  the  planta- 
tions which  had  been  abandoned,  or  in  work  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  the  camps,  and  to  allow  moderate  rations  for 
their  sustenance.  It  was  found,  however,  very  soon, 
that  they  needed  clothing,  superintendence,  schools  for 
the  children,  <fec.,  &c. ;  and  while,  so  far  as  they  were 
able,  they  were  willing  to  pay  moderate  prices  for  these 


24 

supplies,  a  considerable  portion  must  be  donated. 
Freedmen's  Relief  Societies  were  accordingly  organized 
in  Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Cincinnati,  Chi- 
cago and  St.  Louis ;  and  clothing,  agricultural  imple- 
ments, books  of  instruction,  <fec.,  <fec.,  forwarded  to  them. 
The  Bible  and  religious  publication  societies  also  sent 
them  many  simple  reading  books,  Testaments,  <fec. ;  and 
the  missionary  societies  sent  missionaries  and  teachers 
to  instruct  them.  The  aggregate  expenditures  for  all 
these  purposes,  including  clothing  furnished,  <fec.,  is 
about  $540,000. 

There  was  still  another  appeal  to  the  sympathies  of 
the  nation,  and  this  time  from  over  the  sea.  The  sud. 
den  falling  off  of  imports  from  England  and  France,  at 
the  commencement  of  the  war,  leaving  many  of  the 
manufacturers  for  a  time,  without  a  market  for  their 
goods,  occasioned  much  embarrassment  and  many  fail- 
ures among  them ;  and  before  the  surplus  of  goods  had 
been  exhausted,  the  rapid  rise  in  the  price  of  cotton, 
resulting  from  the  necessary  state  of  blockade,  rendered 
production  unprofitable,  and  the  subsequent  scarcity  of 
that  staple  made  it  impossible  to  keep  the  mills  em- 
ployed. Under  these  circumstances  nearly  four  hun- 
dred thousand  of  the  operatives  in  the  cotton  mills  of 
Lancashire  and  Derbyshire,  and  those  dependent  upon 
them,  were  thrown  out  of  employment,  and  soon  began 
to  suffer  from  starvation.  They  bore  up  bravely  under 
their  privations  as  long  as  it  was  possible ;  and  fully 


25 

satisfied  that  the  war  in  this  country  to  put  down  a  re- 
bellion caused  by,  and  based  upon  slavery,  was  a  just 
one,  they  steadily  refused  to  throw  the  blame  of  their 
sufferings  upon  the  United  States  Government,  though 
often  solicited  to  do  so  by  English  sympathizers  with 
the  South.  Their  condition  was  daily  growing  more 
desperate;  and  though  subscriptions  for  their  relief 
were  made  in  England  to  the  amount  of  $9,000,000  or 
$10,000,000,  there  was  still  a  large  amount  of  suffering 
to  be  relieved.  The  loyal  American  people  felt  that  it 
was  due  to  themselves  that  they  should  manifest  their 
hearty  sympathy  with  their  brethren  in  distress,  espe- 
cially since  that  distress  had  grown,  in  part  at  least,  out 
of  the  inevitable  consequences  of  the  war,  and  those 
who  were  the  chief  sufferers  from  it  had  been  their 
firm  friends  under  the  most  trying  circumstances.  The 
movement  for  sending  aid  to  them  was  hailed  with  joy 
in  all  quarters ;  contributions  poured  in  from  all  the 
principal  cities,  and  from  country  towns  as  well. 

An  eminent  shipping  house  offered  a  new  and  capa- 
cious vessel,  to  bear  the  gifts  of  the  nation  to  England ; 
it  was  soon  freighted  and  dispatched,  but  could  not 
carry  all  that  was  offered.  The  Corn  Exchange  freight- 
ed (in  part)  another  vessel,  and  a  considerable  amount 
was  forwarded  in  bills  of  exchange.  Philadelphia  also 
contributed  a  ship-load  of  provisions  to  these  sufferers. 
The  aggregate  amount  contributed  for  the  relief  of  the 
Lancashire  and  Derbyshire  operatives,  was  about 


26 

$265,000.  A  few  thousand  dollars  were  also  contribu- 
ted for  the  French  operatives  of  the  Department  of 
Seine  Inferieure,  Rouen,  &c.,  who  were  suffering,  though 
in  a  less  degree. 

But  the  charities  of  the  nation  did  not  stop  here. 
No  sooner  were  supplies  forwarded  to  the  English 
operatives,  than  it  was  found  that  extensive  suffering 
and  incipient  starvation  were  threatening  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  manufacturing  districts  in  Ireland,  and  that 
but  little  aid  was  bestowed  upon  them  by  the  English 
Government  or  people.  The  Irish  people  were  bound 
to  us  by  strong  ties;  they  had  offered  their  services 
without  stint,  for  the  war,  and  on  every  battle-field 
they  had  proved  their  valor,  and  shed  their  blood.  We 
could  not  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  their  appeals  for  help,  and 
again,  and  up  to  the  present  time,  contributions  have 
flowed  in  freely  for  their  assistance,  and  more  than 
$100,000  have  been  raised  for  their  relief. 

Amid  all  these  demands  upon  the  liberality  of  a 
noble  and  generous  people,  it  is  a  fact  of  deep  interest, 
that  no  one  of  the  charitable  organizations  of  a  peace- 
ful time  has  been  stinted ;  the  orphan  asylums,  homes 
for  the  friendless,  asylums  for  the  aged  and  indigent, 
the  dispensaries,  infirmaries,  and  hospitals,  the  associa- 
tions for  the  relief  of  the  poor,  and  all  those  charities 
which  have  their  claims  upon  the  public,  alike  in  times 
of  peace  and  war,  have  been  abundantly  supported,  and 
many  new  ones  for  the  relief  and  maintenance  of  the 


27 

children  of  deceased  or  disabled  soldiers,  or  for  giving 
to  the  crippled  soldier  himself  a  home,  where  he  may 
spend  the  evening  of  life  in  quiet  and  comfort,  have 
sprung  up  and  received  large  contributions.  The  great 
religious  societies,  whether  national  or  denominational, 
have  had  a  larger  income  than  in  times  of  peace,  schools 
and  colleges  have  been  amply  supported,  and  many  of 
the  latter  liberally  endowed  ;  the  salaries  of  the  clergy 
have  been  very  generally  increased,  and  in  hundreds  of 
instances  debts,  which  had  crippled  the  activity  and 
impaired  the  usefulness  of  churches  and  congregations 
have  been  paid  off  during  the  past  year. 

Our  volunteer  soldiers  have  not  been  unmindful  of 
the  responsibilities  which  the  nation's  trust  and  large- 
hearted  liberality  has  imposed  on  them.  An  Act  of 
Congress  has  been  passed  providing  that  the  soldier 
may,  under  certain  regulations  which  render  fraud  im- 
possible, allot  such  portion  of  his  pay  as  he  desires,  for 
the  benefit  of  his  family,  or  those  dependent  upon  him, 
and  in  several  of  the  States,  citizens  of  the  highest 
character  and  standing  have  given  their  services  witk 
out  fee  or  reward  as  commissioners,  to  visit  the  regi- 
ments, and  procure  from  the  men  allotments  for  their 
families.  In  the  State  of  New  York,  as  a  result  of  this 
effort,  over  $6,000,000  per  annum  is  thus  forwarded  to 
soldiers'  families ;  in  several  of  the  other  States,  the 
amount  though  smaller,  is  in  about  the  same  proportion 
to  troops  they  have  in  the  field.  In  the  aggregate,  more 


28 

than  $16,000,000  per  annum  is  thus  saved  from  the 
greed  of  the  sutler,  or  the  rapacity  of  the  gamblers,  and 
other  harpies,  who  always  follow  an  army  to  plunder 
its  soldiers. 

In  this  hasty  sketch  of  the  charities  evoked  by  the 
war,  we  have  necessarily  omitted  all  mention  of  many 
of  the  active  organizations  which  have  devoted  them- 
selves to  the  welfare  of  the  soldiers ;  and  have,  of 
course,  been  unable  to  give  even  an  approximate  state- 
ment of  the  vast  amount  contributed  directly  by  indi- 
viduals to  the  objects  of  their  beneficence.*  We  have, 
however,  as  we  believe,  demonstrated  conclusively, 
that,  neither  in  ancient  or  modern  times,  has  there  been 
so  vast  an  outpouring  of  a  nation's  wealth  for  the  care, 
the  comfort,  and  the  physical  and  moral  welfare  of 
those  who  have  fought  the  nation's  battles  or  been  the 
sufferers  from  its  condition  of  war. 

While  then,  in  this  regard,  the  record  of  the  United 
States  is  one  which  confers  the  highest  honor  upon  its 
humanity,  its  philanthropy,  and  its  patriotism,  it  is  yet, 
when  viewed  aright,  no  matter  of  surprise  that  the  na- 
tional heart  should  have  been  thus  stirred  to  its  inner- 
most depths ;  for  never,  in  the  history  of  the  human 

*  One  form  of  contribution,  very  large  in  amount,  but  from  the  nature 
of  the  case  not  capable  of  being  estimated  statistically,  is  deserving  of 
notice.  In  many  hundreds  of  cases,  merchants,  manufacturers,  and  other 
employers,  have  voluntarily  paid  the  salaries  or  wages  of  their  clerks  or 
employes,  who  have  volunteered,  to  their  families  during  their  period  of 
service  in  the  army. 


29 

race,  was  there  a  rebellion  so  utterly  unjustifiable  in  its 
character;  or  which,  aiming  at  the  subversion  of  a 
benign  Government,  only  that  it  might  rear  upon  its 
ruins,  a  despotism,  having  Slavery  for  its  corner-stone, 
was  so  well  calculated  to  call  forth  the  scorn  and  ab- 
horrence of  all  good  and  honorable  men. 

Postscript. — The  delay  which  has  occurred  in  the  pub- 
lication of  this  pamphlet,  enables  the  writer  to  add  a 
few  items  of  additional  evidence  of  the  generous  re- 
sponses made  by  our  people  for  the  relief  of  those  who 
are  sufferers  from  the  war.  The  Sanitary  Commission 
has  received  for  aid  to  the  sick  and  wounded  of  the 
battles  around  Gettysburg,  and  the  wounded  at  Vicks- 
burg  (rebel  as  well  as  Union  soldiers),  over  $50,000 
in  money  and  large  amounts  of  supplies;  the  Chris- 
tian Commission  over  $30,000  in  money  and  abundant 
supplies ;  and  other  organizations,  not  less  than  $100,000 
in  money  and  supplies.  Since  the  riot  in  New  York, 
which  was  prompted  by  sympathy  with  the  Rebellion, 
nearly  $55,000  have  been  contributed  for  the  soldiers 
and  policemen  wounded,  and  the  families  of  those 
killed  by  the  rioters,  and  about  $35,000,  beside  large 
amounts  of  clothing  for  the  colored  sufferers  from  the 
riot. 


30 


STATISTICAL    TABLES 


NOTE. — In  the  following  Statistical  Tables  it  has  been  necessary,  in  some 
instances,  to  estimate  the  amounts  contributed  by  small  societies,  individuals, 
&c.,  in  the  aggregate.  Wherever  this  has  been  necessary,  it  has  only  been 
done  after  the  most  careful  inquiry  and  investigation,  and  a  comparison  of  the 
views  of  cautious  and  well-informed  persons,  and  the  lowest  estimate  has  inva- 
riably been  taken.  It  is  believed,  therefore,  that  the  amounts  are,  in  nearly 
every  case,  below  the  actual  sums  contributed. 

Tabular  Statement  of  the  Contributions  for  various  purposes  connected, 
directly  or  indirectly,  with  the  War. 


I.  —  Amount  expended  by  the  States  for  the 
equipment  and  maintenance  of  troops,  not 
reimbursed  or  guaranteed  to  be  reimbursed 
by  the  General  Government  : 
Maine  

$40,000  00 
60,000  00 
75,000  00 
1,963,311  88 
698,286  04 
1,610.900  94 
3,340,943  00 
251,320  03 
1,448,000  00 
1,600,000  00 
250,000  00 
40,000  00 

AGGREGATE. 

$11,277,761  89 
21,624,672  00 

New  Hampshire  (estimated)  

Vermont  

Massachusetts  

Rhode  Island  

Connecticut  

New  York  

New  Jersey  

Pennsylvania  

Ohio  (estimated)  .    ' 

Wisconsin  

Kansas  

II.  —  Bounties,   extra  pay,   and    allowance   to 
families  of  volunteers  made  by  States  : 
Maine  

$2,750,000  00 
519,000  00 
1,125,000  00 
2,620,000  00 
1,422,888  00 
1,857,044  00 
5,410,750  00 
1,500,000  00 
2,300,000  00 
1,400,000  00 
720,000  00 

New  Hampshire  (estimated)  

Vermont  

Massachusetts  

Rhode  Island  

Connecticut  

New  York  

New  Jersey  (estimated)  

Ohio  (estimated)  

Michigan  

Wisconsin  

Carried  forward  .  . 

$32,902.433  89 

31 


Brought  forward  

AGGREGATE. 

$32,902,433  89 
24,420,000  00 

46,086,909  68 
616,041  00 

III.  —Moneys  contributed  by  cities,  towns,  cor- 
porations, and  individuals,  for  raising  and 
recruiting  regiments  : 
At  the  beginning  of  the  war  

$7,120,000  00 
16,150,000  00 
1,000,000  00 
150,000  00 

Tn  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1862  

Philadelphia  in  June  and  July,  1863  

Other  cities,  at  the  same  time  

IV.  —  Bounties  and  aid  to  families  of  volunteers 
contributed  by  counties,  towns,  cities,  corpo- 
rations, and  individuals  in  each  State  : 
Maine  

$420,000  00 
660,000  00 
820,000  00 
1,815,285  30 
937,264  38 
1,746,360  00 
16,800.000  00 
2,250,000  00 
7,200,000  00 
60,000  00 
800,000  00 
6,300,000  00 
1,428,000  00 
1,065,000  00 
685,000  00 
1,750,000  00 
800,000  00 
150,000  00 
300,000  00 
100,000  00 

New  Hampshire  (estimated)  

Vermont  

Massachusetts  

Rhode  Island  

Connecticut  

New  York  

New  Jersey  (estimated)  

Pennsylvania  

Delaware  

Maryland  

Ohio  (estimated)  

Indiana  (estimated)  

Illinois  

Michigan  

Wisconsin  

Iowa  (estimated)  

Minnesota  (estimated)  

Missouri  (estimated)  

Kansas  

V.  —  State  contributions  for  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers,    Governor's    contingent    fund    or 
special  appropriations  : 
Maine  

$25,000  00 
10,000  00 
25,400  00 
28,641  00 
250,000  00 
10,000  00 
59,000  00 
48,000  00 
40,000  00 
50,000  00 
20,000  00 
50,000  00 

Vermont  

Massachusetts  

Connecticut  

New  York  

Maryland  

Illinois  

Michigan  

Wisconsin  

Iowa  (estimated)  

Minnesota  (estimated)  

Missouri  

VI.  —  Contributions  of  States  to  National  De- 
fense not  included  under  any  of  the  forego- 
ing heads  : 
Maine  for  harbor  defenses  

$200,000  00 

Carried  forward.  . 

$200.000  00  $104.025.384  57 

32 


Brought  forward 

Massachusetts  for  harbor  and  coast  de- 
fenses and  State  war  vessels 

New  York  for  harbor  defenses,  &c 

Pennsylvania  for  harbor  defense  and  pro- 
tection from  invasions 

Ohio  for  protection  of  river  line 

Kentucky  for  Home  Guards,  &c 

Missouri  for  Home  Guards 

Maryland  for  Home  Guards,  &c 


Total  contributions  from  the  States,  coun- 
ties, &c.,  for  aid  and  relief  of  soldiers 
and  their  families,  and  for  purposes  of 
national  defense,  not  reimbursed  or  to 
be  reimbursed  by  the  General  Govern- 
ment... 


VII. — Contributions  for  the  care  and  comfort 
of  soldiers,  whether  in  camp,  or  sick  or 
wounded,  and  for  their  families,  from  asso- 
ciations and  individuals  : 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  in  money $795,174  09 

U.  S.  Sanitary  Commission,  supplies,  esti- 
mated value 2,755,097  24 

Western  Sanitary  Commission,  in  money.          151,138  18 

Western  Sanitary  Commission,  supplies,  es- 
timated value 395.335  96 

Chicago  Sanitary  Commission,  in  money. .  42,714  00 

"  "  "  in  supplies.          300,00000 

Philadelphia  Branch  of  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion, not  included  in  United  States  San- 
itary Commission 71,000  00 

Iowa  Sanitary  Commission,  money  and 
supplies 58,400  00 

Indiana  State  Sanitary  Commission,  money 

and  supplies 100,00000 

U.  S.  Christian  Commission,  in  money. . .          120,000  00 
"  "  in  supplies. .          400,000  00 

New  England  Soldiers'  Relief  Association, 
money 20,000  00 

New  England  Soldiers'  Relief  Association, 
supplies 150,000  00 

Ladies'  Aid  Society  of  Philadelphia,  money  13,791  17 

supplies         200,000  00 

Soldiers'  Aid  Society  of  Hartford,  Ct., 
money 12,000  00 

Soldiers'  Aid  Society  of  Hartford,  Ct., 
supplies 30,000  00 

Union  Relief  Association  of  Baltimore,  and 

other  Baltimore  Associations,  in  money.  60  000  00 

Union  Relief  Association  of  Baltimore,  and 

other  Baltimore  Associations,  in  supplies         125,000  00 

State  Relief  Associations  at  Washington, 

money  and  supplies 1,030,000  00 

Carried  forward $6,829,650  64 


$200,000  00 

1,500,000  00 
1,000,000  00 

2,500,000  00 
1,500,000  00 
1,000,000  00 
1,000,000  00 
400,000  00 


AGGREGATE. 


$104,025,394  57 


$9,100,000  00 


$113.125,394 


33 


AGGREGATE. 

Brought  forward  •.  

$6,829,650  64 

Other  Relief  Associations,  not  connected 
with   the  national  organizations,   East 
and  West  (estimated)  

1,500,000  00 

Union    Volunteer    Refreshment    Saloon, 
Philadelphia,  cash  .... 

34,738  86 

Union    Volunteer    Refreshment    Saloon, 
Philadelphia,  supplies  

60'  000  00 

Cooper   Shop   Refreshment   Saloon,   cash, 
about  

30000  00 

Cooper    Shop    Refreshment   Saloon,   sup- 
plies   

70,000  00 

Citizens'  Volunteer  Hospital,  Philadelphia, 
money,  labor,  and  supplies  

55,000  00 

Soldiers'  homes,  restaurants,  &c.  (not  con- 
nected with  the  Sanitary  Commissions), 
in  all  the  principal  cities,  about  forty  in 
all  

250,000  00 

American  Bible  Society  and  its  auxiliaries, 
Bibles  distributed  to  soldiers  

120,000  00 

American  Tract  Society,  New  York,  for 
books  and  tracts  distributed  to  soldiers, 
and  services  of  missionaries  and  colpor- 
teurs   

60,000  00 

American  Tract  Society,  Boston,  do  

63,000  00 

Other  religious  societies,  missionaries,  and 
publications  

35  000  00 

Supplies  and  money  distributed  to  armies 
in  Virginia  and  hospitals  in  Washington 
and  vicinity,  through  individuals  

1,200,000  00 

Money  for  postage,  stationery,  and  sup- 
plies, distributed  to  ninety  hospitals  east 
of  the  Alleghanies  (estimated)  

800,000  00 

Supplies  and  money  forwarded  to  western 
armies  and  hospitals  directly  from  towns, 
cities,   and    villages,   and   not    passing 
through  other  organizations  (estimated) 
Ambulances  for  sick  and  wounded,  built 
and  maintained  by  Philadelphia  firemen 
Asylums  and  homes  for  disabled  soldiers 
and  for  children  of  deceased  soldiers,  in 
New  York  and  elsewhere  

5,000,000  00 
20,600  00 

80000  00 

Young  Men's  Christian  Associations,  aside 
from  contributions    through    Christian 
Commissions  .      .. 

128  000  00 

Board  of  Trade,  Chicago,  for  "Board  of 
Trade  regiments  "  

65,000  00 

H.   M.  Pierce,  LL.D.,  in  efforts  for  reliei 
of  soldiers,  and  attempt  to  secure  organ- 
ization of  ambulance  corps  

1,000  00 

Col.  J.  H.  Almy,  A.  Q.  M.  G.,  agent  for 
Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island,  at  New 
York  

1  600  00 

Col.   F.  E.  Howe,   C.  W.   Burton,   D.  E 
Clark,  and  other  State  agents,  for  sol 
diers  in  New  York  not  less  than  

5000  00 

*  1  R  Jflft  SSQ  Ml 

AGGREGATE. 

International  Relief  Fund,  New  York,  for 
Lancashire  sufferers  

$125,000  00 

Corn  Exchange  Fund,  for  Lancashire  suf- 
ferers   

50,000  00 

Philadelphia  contributions  

90  000  00 

_ 

Relief  of  French  operatives  

8,000  00 

Ship-load  of  provisions  for  Irish  sufferers, 
contributed  by  A.  T.  Stewart,  New  York 
Contributions  for  Irish  Relief  in  N.  York.  . 
"          in  Brooklyn. 
"            "            "          elsewhere... 

30,000  00 
30,000  00 
15,000  00 
35,000  00 

$383  000  00 

TY       r>                                   T? 

Freedman's     Aid    Society,     New    York, 
money  and  supplies  

$175  000  00 

Freedman's  Aid  Societies  in  other  cities.  .  . 
Aid  to  Freedmen  by  missionary  societies, 
&c  

200,000  00 
25,000  00 

4UOO  000  00 

, 

In  New  York  

$6,341  000  00 

In  other  States  

9,750,000  00 

$16  091  000  00 

.     ,, 

XI.  —  Advances  made  by  the  States  to  the  Gen- 
eral Government,  for  which  they  claim, 
but  have  not  yet  received,  reimburse- 
ment... 

$25.701.991  00 

35 


Appendix    .A.. 

THE  UNITED    STATES    SANITARY   COMMISSION. 

This  organization,  which  has  exerted  so  great  an  influence  for 
good  on  the  Army,  originated  from  three  previously  existing 
associations  in  New  York  city,  viz.  :  "  The  Woman's  Central 
Association  of  Relief  for  the  Sick  and  Wounded  of  the  Army  ;" 
"  The  Advisory  Committee  of  the  Board  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons of  the  Hospitals  of  New  York,"  and  the  New  York  Medi- 
cal Association  for  furnishing  Medical  Supplies  in  aid  of  the 
Army." 

On  the  18th  of  May,  1861,  Messrs.  Henry  W.  Bellows,  D.  D., 
W.  H.  Van  Buren,  M.  D.,  Elisha  Harris,  M.  D.,  and  Jacob  Har- 
sen,  M.  D.,  representatives  of  these  three  associations,  drew  up 
and  forwarded  to  the  Secretary  of  War  a  communication  setting 
forth  the  propriety  of  creating  an  organization  which  should 
unite  the  duties  and  labors  of  the  three  associations,  and  co-oper- 
ate with  the  Medical  Bureau  of  the  War  Department  to  such  an 
extent  that  each  might  aid  the  other  in  securing  the  welfare  of 
the  Army.  For  this  purpose  they  asked  that  a  mixed  commis- 
sion of  civilians,  military  officers,  and  medical  men,  might  be 
appointed  by  the  Government,  charged  with  the  duty  of  method- 
izing and  reducing  to  practical  service  the  already  active  but 
undirected  benevolence  of  the  people  toward  the  army,  who 
should  consider  the  general  subject  of  the  prevention  of  sickness 
and  suffering  among  the  troops,  and  suggest  the  wisest  method 
which  the  people  at  large  could  use  to  manifest  their  good-will 
toward  the  comfort,  security,  and  health  of  the  army.  They  re- 
ferred to  the  Commissions  which  followed  the  Crimean  and  Indian 
wars,  and  brought  to  light  the  vast  amount  of  suffering  which 
had  been  needlessly  endured  there,  and  begged  that,  in  this  case, 
the  organization  might  precede  the  war,  and  prevent  so  far  as 
possible  the  suffering  which  would  otherwise  ensue.  They  sug- 
gested, also,  the  appointment  of  cooks  and  nurses  for  the  army, 


36 

and  stated  that  the  "  Woman's  Central  Association  of  Relief" 
stood  ready  to  undertake*  the  training  of  both  in  their  duties. 

On  the  22d  of  May,  R.  C.  Wood,  M.  D.,  then  Acting  Surgeon- 
General,  now  in  charge  of  the  Western  Medical  Department, 
followed  this  communication  by  a  letter  addressed  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  War,  urging  the  establishment  of  the  desired  Commission 
as  a  needed  adjunct  to  the  new,  extensive,  and  overwhelming 
duties  of  the  Medical  Bureau. 

After  a  hearing  of  the  representatives  of  the  New  York  Asso- 
ciations, the  Secretary  of  War,  on  the  9th  of  June,  decided  on 
the  creation  of  such  a  Commission,  the  President  approving. 
The  title  first  given  to  the  new  organization  was  "  The  Commis- 
sion of  Inquiry  and  Advice  in  respect  of  the  Sanitary  Interests 
of  the  United  States  Forces,"  but  was  subsequently  changed  to 
"  The  United  States  Sanitary  Commission." 

It  was  composed  of  the  following  gentlemen  :  Rev.  Henry  W. 
Bellows,  D.  D.,  President,  New  York  ;  Prof.  A.  D.  Bache,  Vice- 
President,  Washington  ;  Elisha  Harris,  M.  D.,  Corresponding 
Secretary,  New  York  ;  George  W.  Cullum,  U.  S.  A.,  Washing- 
ton ;  Alexander  E.  Shiras,  U.  S.  A.,  Washington  ;  Robert  C. 
Wood,  M.  D.,  U.  S.  A.,  Washington  ;  William  H.  Van  Buren, 
M.  D.,  New  York  ;  Wolcott  Gibbs,  M.  D.,  New  York  ;  Cornelius 
R.  Agnew,  M.  D.,  New  York  ;  George  T.  Strong,  New  York  ; 
Frederick  Law  Olmsted,  New  York  ;  Samuel  G.  Howe,  M.  D., 
Boston  ;  J.  S.  Newberry,  M.  D.,  Cleveland,  Ohio.  To  these  were 
subsequently  added  Horace  Binney,  Jr.,  Philadelphia  ;  Rt.  Rev. 
Thomas  M.  Clark,  D.  D.,  Providence,  R.  I.  ;  Hon.  Joseph  Holt, 
Kentucky;  R.  W.  Burnett,  Cincinnati,  Ohio  ;  Hon.  Mark  Skin- 
ner, Chicago,  111.,  and  about  four  hundred  associate  members,  in 
all  parts  of  the  country. 

The  Commission  proceeded  at  once  to  organize  its  action  and 
to  appoint  committees  from  its  members  to  visit  every  camp, 
recruiting-post,  transport,  fort,  hospital,  and  military  station,  to 
ascertain  and  report  all  abuses,  and  to  perfect  such  organiza- 
tions as  might  insure  a  higher  degree  of  health  and  comfort  for 
the  soldiers. 

The  medical  members  of  the  Commission  undertook  to  con- 


37 

sider  the  questions  which  might  arise  concerning  the  diseases  of 
the  camp,  and  their  medical  and  surgical  treatment,  from  the 
highest  scientific  point  of  view,  and  guided  by  the  rich  and 
abundant  experience  of  European  army  surgeons. 

Three  important  committees  were  appointed,  one  to  communi- 
cate the  matured  counsels  of  the  Commission  to  the  Government, 
and  procure  their  ordering  by  the  proper  Departments  ;  a  second 
to  maintain  a  direct  relation  with  the  army  officers  and  medical 
men,  with  the  camps  and  hospitals,  and  by  all  proper  methods  to 
make  sure  of  the  carrying  out  of  the  sanitary  orders  of  the  Medi- 
cal Bureau  and  the  War  Department ;  and  a  third  to  be  in  con- 
stant communication  with  the  State  Governments,  and  the  public 
benevolent  associations  interested  in  the  army. 

This  plan  of  organization  was  approved  by  the  Secretary  of 
War,  on  the  13th  of  June,  1861,  and  on  the  21st  of  that  month  the 
Commission  issued  its  first  address  to  the  public.  This  was  soon 
followed  by  an  eloquent  appeal  to  the  Life  Insurance  Companies, 
and  another  to  men  of  wealth  throughout  the  country  for  aid  in 
the  prosecution  of  its  work.  The  members  of  the  Commission, 
as  such,  received  no  compensation,  but  the  purposes  of  the 
organization  would  require  a  very  considerable  number  of  paid 
employes,  and  would  involve  heavy  expenses  for  publications 
and  supplies,  which  could  only  be  purchased  with  money.  A 
considerable  number  of  associate  members  were  elected  at  this 
time,  who  gave  their  services  in  raising  means  for  the  operations 
of  the  Commission,  and  Ladies'  Associations,  in  all  parts  of  the 
country,  prepared  clothing  and  supplies  of  all  sorts,  and  for- 
warded them  to  its  depots. 

The  members  of  the  Commission  visited,  during  the  summer  of 
1861,  the  different  camps  of  the  widely-extended  armies  of  the 
Republic,  and  carefully  inspected  and  reported  upon  their  sani- 
tary condition  and  needs. 

As  time  rolled  on,  and  the  number  of  soldiers  greatly  increased, 
and  especially  as  severe  battles  occurred,  and  malaria  visited  the 
camps,  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  the  Commission  to  the 
sick  and  wounded  greatly  increased,  and  their  means  of  supply- 
ing the  wants  of  the  scores  of  thousands,  who  looked  to  them  for 


38 

such  aid  as  the  Medical  Bureau  of  the  Government  could  not 
give,  were  augmented  in  an  equally  rapid  ratio. 

Its  Medical  Inspectors,  who  were  scientific  experts,  accom- 
panied every  column  of  the  army,  and,  by  advice,  direction,  and 
if  necessary  by  complaint,  regulated  the  sanitary  condition  of 
the  men  to  the  best  degree  possible.  Supplies  were  sent  by 
the  Commission  with  every  expedition,  entirely  supplementary 
to  those  of  the  Departments  at  Washington,  and  derived  from 
the  donations  of  the  public.  Whenever  there  were  sick  or 
wounded  soldiers,  there  was  found  a  trustworthy  agent  of  the 
Sanitary  Commission,  ready  to  supply  them  with  medical  treat- 
ment, food,  clothing,  or  transportation,  as  the  case  might  require. 

On  the  battle-field  they  hovered  round,  fearless  of  danger  to 
themselves,  only  seeking  to  alleviate  pain  in  others.  Thousands 
of  soldiers,  sick,  wounded,  convalescent,  discharged,  weekly  re- 
ceived its  shelter  and  its  food  ;  its  safe  conduct,  its  transporta- 
tion facilities,  its  aid  in  securing  their  pay  and  pensions.  Every 
military  hospital  in  the  country  was  subject  to  the  visitations  of 
its  medical  agents,  and  every  defect  and  short-coming  was  re- 
ported to  the  Surgeon-General,  and  at  once  remedied  as  far  as 
possible. 

By  means  of  a  registration  plan,  every  sick  or  wounded  soldier 
known  to  any  Department  of  the  Government,  could  be  traced 
directly  to  his  present  locality,  on  application  to  the  Sanitary 
Commission. 

It  has,  throughout,  worked  in  harmony  with  the  United  States 
Government,  and  especially  with  the  Medical  Bureau,  to  which 
it  has  proved  of  great  service.  That  Bureau,  which,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  war,  was  utterly  inadequate,  though  from  no 
fault  of  its  own,  to  the  vast  work  before  it,  is  now  well  regulated 
and  admirably  organized,  having  a  corps  of  three  thousand  skill- 
ful and  responsible  surgeons,  and  fifteen  thousand  hired  nurses 
experienced  in  their  duties. 

The  weeding  out  from  this  force  of  the  ignorant,  unskillful,  and 
incompetent,  and  the  training  of  those  now  in  the  service  to  their 
duties,  has  been  largely  aided  by  the  direct  personal  efforts,  and 
the  professional  publications  of  the  medical  members  of  the  Com- 
mission ;  and  this  brings  us  to  say  that  one  sphere  of  usefulness 


39 

peculiar  to  the  Sanitary  Commission,  has  been  the  publication 
and  circulation  among  the  Surgeons  in  the  Army,  of  monograms 
upon  medical  subjects  of  the  greatest  interest,  in  connection  with 
their  field  of  operations.  These  monograms  are  prepared,  by 
the  most  competent  men,  with  special  reference  to  the  condition 
of  our  army,  and  form  a  little  circulating  library  of  just  such 
material  as  is  most  required. 

Among  these  publications  are,  a  "  Report  of  a  Committee  on 
the  use  of  Quinine  as  a  prophylactic  against  Malarious  Dis- 
eases ;"  Directions  to  Army  Surgeons  on  the  Field  of  Battle ;" 
"  Report  of  a  Committee  on  the  value  of  Vaccination  in  Armies  ;" 
"  Report  of  a  Committee  on  the  subject  of  Amputation  ;"  "  Re- 
port of  a  Committee  on  the  subject  of  Venereal  Diseases  ;" 
"  Report  of  a  Committee  on  the  subject  of  Pneumonia  ;"  "  Report 
of  a  Committee  on  the  subject  of  Continued  Fevers  ;"  Report  of  a 
Committee  on  Dysentery  ;"  "  Report  of  a  Committee  on  the  sub- 
ject of  Scurvy  ;"  with  others,  on  the  treatment  of  "Fractures," 
"  Miasmatic  Fevers,"  "  Yellow  Fever,"  &c.,  &c.  Then  there  are 
"  Instructions  for  Camp  Inspectors  ;"  "  Rules  for  Preserving  the 
Health  of  the  Soldier,"  and  others  more  practical  in  their  nature, 
and  interesting  to  any  one  interested  in  the  Army. 

Perhaps  one  among  the  most  kindly  and  humane  labors  of  the 
Commission  has  been  the  establishment  in  Washington  of  the 
"  Home,"  a  depot  where  the  soldier,  honorably  discharged  on 
account  of  wounds,  sickness,  or  physical  disability,  could  receive 
aid  to  enable  him  to  proceed  directly  to  his  home  and  friends, 
being  fed,  comfortably  clothed  and  housed,  his  necessary  papers 
procured  for  him  by  an  efficient  agent,  and  himself  kept  from  the 
temptations  of  the  city,  until  furnished  with  a  through  ticket,  he 
was  put  on  the  cars  and  started  for  his  own  town  ;  this,  which  has 
been  termed  the  "  Special  Relief"  service,  has  been  most  admira- 
bly and  effectively  conducted. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  working  of  the  system,  we  will  give 
a  few  statistics  from  September  10,  1861,  to  December  J5,  1862  : 

Number  of  soldiers  received  at  the  "  Home," 14,106 

Number  of  nights'  lodging  furnished 36,866 

Number  of  meals  furnished 81,169 

Cost  of  the  "  Home  "  to  the  Commission  during  the 

above  period $11,030 


40 

The  "Lodge,"  an  establishment  supplementary  to  the  "Home," 
was  built  in  December  last.  It  is  located  directly  opposite  to  the 
Paymaster's  office,  in  order  to  give  rest  and  food  to  the  invalid 
soldier  while  waiting  for  his  pay,  and  to  prevent  his  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  harpies,  who  would  plunder  him  of  his  hard 
earned  wages.  Its  uses  are  best  seen  by  reading  the  following 
"  ticket,"  a  copy  of  which  is  given  to  every  discharged  soldier  on 
his  appearance  at  the  office  of  the  Paymaster : 

"The  bearer,  ,  an  invalid  soldier,  will  find  a   resting 

place  and  food,  without  charge,  at  the  Lodge  No.  3,  of  the  Sani- 
tary Commission,  No.  210  F.  street,  opposite  Paymaster's  office." 

During  the  first  two  weeks  after  this  place  was  opened,  over 
two  hundred  and  fifty  meals,  and  forty  lodgings  per  diem,  were 
furnished,  according  to  the  ticket.  A  table  was  kept  constantly 
spread  for  fifty  persons,  and  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  or  two 
hundred  lame  and  sick  soldiers  that  formerly  thronged  the  streets 
were  supplied  with  all  necessary  comforts,  preparatory  to  the 
more  laborious  task  of  setting  their  faces  homeward. 

To  the  enabling  soldiers  to  obtain  their  discharge  papers  and 
their  pay,  the  Commission  has  paid  particular  attention,  having 
special  agents  in  charge  of  this  duty. 

After  the  battle  of  Antietam,  the  Commission  expended 
$20,000,  in  a  few  days,  for  comforts,  assistance,  and  medicine  to 
the  wounded.  As  a  further  illustration  of  the  character  of  the 
labors  of  the  Sanitary  Commission,  we  will  refer  to  the  battle 
of  Fredericksburg,  which  may  be  taken  as  a  sample  of  their  usual 
course  at  such  times. 

The  Commission  received  the  report  of  the  battle  on  the  even- 
ing of  December  13,  the  day  on  which  it  occurred.  On  the  fol- 
lowing morning  a  propeller  was  laden  with  stores,  and  with 
twelve  special  agents  of  the  Commission,  chiefly  medical  men, 
started  for  the  scene  of  action.  Eleven  of  the  regular  agents  were 
also  with  the  army  at  the  same  time.  On  this  occasion  there 
were  delivered  to  the  soldiers  from  the  stores  of  the  Commission, 
1,800  blankets,  900  quilts,  5,642  woolen  shirts,  4,139  pairs  wool- 
en drawers,  4,269  pairs  socks,  2,500  towels,  16  barrels  dried 
fruit,  10  boxes  soda  biscuit,  6  barrels  crackers,  1,000  pounds 


41 

concentrated  milk.  Beside  these  a  kitchen  was  improvised,  and 
good  food,  well  cooked,  was  served  out  to  the  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers. 

The  Commission  had  received,  up  to  the  1st  of  June,  1863, 
$195,1*14.09  in  money,  besides  $172,000  contributed  to  co-operat- 
ing local  Commissions,  and  $2,755,097.24  in  supplies,  aside  from 
over  $400,000  in  supplies  distributed  independent  of  it,  by  co- 
operating organizations,  making  a  grand  total  of  $4,120,000  con- 
tributed to  this  single  organization  and  its  auxiliaries.  Since 
June  1,  to  July  15,  it  has  received  not  less  than  $75,000  in  money, 
and  over  $100,000  in  supplies. 
6 


Appendix  13. 

THE    WESTERN    SANITARY    COMMISSION. 

The  Western  Sanitary  Commission  derived  its  first  authority 
from  the  following  order  of  Major-General  Fremont  : 

HEADQUARTERS,  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
ST.  Louis,  Mo.  Sept.  5,  1861.      J 

SPECIAL  ORDERS,  No.  159. 

With  a  view  to  the  health  and  comfort  of  the  Volunteer  troops 
in  and  near  to  the  city  of  St.  Louis,  a  Sanitary  Commission  is  here- 
by appointed,  to  consist  of  five  gentlemen,  who  shall  serve  vol- 
untarily, and  be  removable  at  pleasure.  Its  general  object  shall 
be  to  carry  out,  under  the  properly-constituted  military  authori- 
ties, and  in  compliance  with  their  orders,  such  sanitary  regula- 
tions and  reforms  as  the  well-being  of  the  soldiers  demand. 

The  Commission  shall  have  authority — under  the  directions  of 
the  Medical  Director,  to  select,  fit  up,  and  furnish  suitable  build- 
ings for  Army  and  Brigade  Hospitals,  in  such  place,  and  in  such 
manner  as  circumstances  require.  It  will  attend  to  the  selec- 
tion and  appointment  of  women  nurses,  under  the  authority  and 
by  the  direction  of  Miss  D.  L.  Dix,  General  Superintendent  of  the 
nurses  of  Military  Hospitals  in  the  United  States.  It  will  co- 
operate with  the  Surgeons  of  the  several  hospitals  in  providing 
male  nurses,  and  in  whatever  manner  practicable,  and  by  their 
consent.  It  shall  have  authority  to  visit  the  different  camps,  to 
consult  with  the  commanding  officers,  and  the  Colonels  and  other 
officers  of  the  several  regiments,  with  regard  to  the  sanitary  and 
general  condition  of  the  troops,  and  aid  them  in  prpviding  proper 
means  for  the  preservation  of  health  and  prevention  of  sickness, 
by  supplies  of  wholesome  and  well-cooked  food,  by  good  systems  of 
drainage,  and  other  practicable  methods.  It  will  obtain  from  the 
community  at  large  such  additional  means  of  increasing  the  com- 
fort and  promoting  the  moral  and  social  welfare  of  the  men,  in 


43 

camp  and  hospital,  as  may  be  needed,  and  cannot  be  furnished 
by  Government  regulations.  It  will,  from  time  to  time,  report 
directly  to  the  Commander-in-chief  of  the  department,  the  con- 
dition of  the  camps  and  hospitals,  with  such  suggestions  as  can 
properly  be  made  by  a  Sanitary  Board. 

This  Commission  is  not  intended  in  any  way  to  interfere  with 
the  Medical  Staff,  or  other  officers  of  the  Army,  but  to  co-operate 
with  them,  and  aid  them  in  the  discharge  of  their  present  arduous 
and  extraordinary  duties.  It  will  be  treated  by  all  officers  of  the 
Army,  both  regular  and  volunteer,  in  this  Department,  with  the 
respect  due  to  the  humane  and  patriotic  motives  of  the  members, 
and  to  the  authority  of  the  Commander-in-chief. 

This  Sanitary  Commission  will,  for  the  present,  consist  of 
Jas.  E.  Yeatman,  Esq.;  C.  S.  Greeley,  Esq.;  J.  B.  Johnson,  M.D.; 
George  Partridge,  Esq.;  and  the  Rev.  William  G.  Eliot,  D.  D. 

By  order  of  Major-General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

J.  C.  KELTON, 

Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

The  authority  conferred  by  this  order  was  recognized  and  con- 
firmed by  Major-General  Halleck,  who  added  Dr.  S.  Pollak  to 
the  Commission,  and  still  later,  viz.,  December  16,  1862,  by  an 
order  from  the  Secretary  of  War  (Hon.  E.  M.  Stanton),  extending 
the  field  of  its  labors,  and  reappointing  the  members  of  the  Com- 
mission as  at  first  constituted. 

This  Commission  has  not  devoted  its  attention  to  as  wide  a 
range  of  topics  as  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission,  but  has 
confined  itself  to  the  work  of  superintending  hospitals,  furnishing 
supplies,  appointing  nurses,  visiting  and  caring  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  of  the  Army  of  the  Southwest  Frontier,  the  District  of 
East  Arkansas,  the  armies  operating  on  both  sides  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  the  Mississippi  Naval  Flotilla;  it  has  at  all  times  acted 
in  concert  with  the  Medical  Directors  and  inspectors  of  these 
armies,  and  on  account  of  their  efficient  supervision  of  the  condi- 
tion and  sanitary  wants  of  the  armies  under  their  charge,  has  not 
found  it  necessary  to  appoint  separate  medical  inspectors.  It  has 
the  superintendence  of  twelve  hospitals  (one  for  officers  and 
another  for  military  prisoners),  having  accommodations  for  about 
eight  thousand  patients,  besides  ten  large  hospital  steamers  and 


44 

floating  hospitals ;  it  has  established  Soldiers' Homes,  and  Soldiers' 
Lodges,  at  St.  Louis,  Memphis,  and  Columbus,  Ky.,  and  agen- 
cies at  Helena,  Milliken's  Bend,  and  Springfield,  Mo.,  and  has 
prepared,  published  and  distributed,  a  large  edition  of  a  "  Trea- 
tise on  the  Preservation  of  the  Health  of  the  Soldier,  the  cooking 
of  food,  the  preparation  of  diet  for  the  sick,  the  duties  of  nurses 
and  attendants,  and  the  organization  and  general  management  of 
Hospitals."  It  has  also  kept  a  registry  of  the  location  and  condi- 
tion of  invalid  and  wounded  soldiers  in  the  Western  armies. 

The  Commission  has  received  to  June  1,  1863,  cash  donations 
to  the  amount  of  $151,381.18,  and  sanitary  stores  and  supplies  of 
the  estimated  value  of  $395,335.96,  making  a  total  of  $546,716.14. 
The  expenses  incurred  in  the  collection  and  distribution  of  this 
large  amount  were  only  $8,848.86,  or  If  per  cent,  of  the  entire 
amount  received  and  distributed. 


45 


-A-ppenciix    O. 

THE   UNITED    STATES   CHRISTIAN    COMMISSION. 

From  the  commencement  of  the  war  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Associations,  in  most  of  the  larger  cities  and  towns  of  the 
loyal  States,  had  contributed  largely,  not  only  in  money  and  sup- 
plies, to  the  relief  and  comfort  of  the  soldiers,  but  in  personal 
service.  Many  of  their  members  were  in  the  army,  and  the  sym- 
pathy felt  for  them  by  those  who  remained  at  home  prompted  to 
efficient  action  for  the  spiritual  as  well  as  physical  needs  of  the 
army.  After  every  considerable  battle,  members  of  these  asso- 
ciations were  dispatched  with  money,  sanitary  stores  and  sup- 
plies, and  religious  and  moral  reading  matter  for  free  distribu- 
tion to  the  sufferers.  One  Young  Men's  Christian  Association, 
that  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  had  contributed  in  this  way  more 
than  $28,000  for  this  purpose,  and  had  given  in  addition  the 
voluntary  services  of  several  of  its  members  in  distributing  sup- 
plies and  caring  for  the  sick  and  wounded  on  the  battle-fields  of 
the  East  and  the  West.  Others  had  done  nearly  as  much,  some, 
perhaps,  even  more. 

At  a  convention  of  these  Christian  Associations,  held  in  New 
York  November  16,  1861,  it  was  resolved  to  organize  from  the 
representatives  of  these  bodies  a  United  States  Christian  Com- 
mission, and  the  following  persons  were  appointed  :  Rev.  Rollin 
H.  Neale,  D.  D.,  Boston  ;  George  H.  Stuart,  Esq.,  Philadelphia  ; 
Rev.  Bishop  E.  S.  Janes,  D.  D.,  New  York  ;  Rev.  M.  L.  R.  P. 
Thompson,  D.  D.,  Cincinnati  ;  Hon.  Benjamin  F.  Manierre,  New 
York  ;  Colonel  Clinton  B.  Fisk,  St.  Louis  ;  Rev.  Benjamin  C. 
Cutler,  D.  D.,  Brooklyn  ;  John  V.  Farwell,  Esq.,  Chicago  ; 
Mitchell  H.  Miller,  Esq.,  Washington  ;  John  D.  Hill,  M.  D.,  Buffalo. 
During  the  succeeding  year  Mr.  Manierre  and  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler 
resigned,  and  their  places  were  filled  by  the  appointment  of  Jay 
Cooke,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  and  Rev.  James  Eells,  D.  D.,  of 
Brooklyn. 


46 

Soon  after  its  appointment  the  Commission  met  in  Washington, 
and  organized  by  choosing  George  H.  Stuart,  of  Philadelphia, 
Chairman,  and  B.  F.  Manierre,  of  New  York,  Secretary  and 
Treasurer.  Its  headquarters  were  at  first  established  in  New 
York,  and  Rev.  A.  M,  Morrison  was  appointed  Secretary,  when  it 
was  ascertained  that  the  labors  of  the  two  offices  would  be  too 
much  for  one  man.  Mr.  Morrison's  services  were  rendered  gra- 
tuitously. Some  months  were  occupied  in  the  organization  of 
branches,  in  obtaining  from  Government  and  from  railroad  and 
telegraph  lines,  passes,  and  in  adjusting  the  details  for  the  vast 
work  which  soon  began  to  flow  in  upon  them,  and  it  was  not  till 
the  summer  of  1862  that  the  Commission  was  fairly  ready  for  its 
work  ;  meantime  its  headquarters  had  been  removed  to  Phila- 
delphia, and  Rev.  William  E.  Boardman  appointed  Secretary  in 
place  of  Rev.  Mr.  Morrison,  resigned. 

Its  objects,  as  declared  in  its  circulars,  were  "  to  arouse  the 
Christian  Associations  and  the  Christian  men  and  women  of  the 
loyal  States  to  such  action  toward  the  men  in  our  army  and  navy 
as  would  be  pleasing  to  the  Master  ;  to  obtain  and  direct  volun- 
teer labors,  and  to  collect  stores  and  money  with  which  to  sup- 
ply whatever  is  needed,  reading  matter  and  articles  necessary 
for  health,  not  furnished  by  Government  or  other  agencies,  and 
to  give  the  officers  and  men  of  our  army  and  navy  the  best  Chris- 
tian ministries,  for  both  body  and  soul,  possible  in  their  circum- 
stances." 

The  Commission  is  organized  upon  the  principle  of  voluntary, 
unpaid  agency.  Its  Chairman,  a  merchant  of  Philadelphia,  not 
only  devotes  almost  his  entire  time  to  its  service,  but  furnishes 
office-room  and  storage,  clerks,  porters,  &c.,  to  conduct  the  busi- 
ness correspondence  and  pack  the  stores  and  supplies,  free  of 
charge.  The  railroad  companies  have  uniformly  given  free 
passes  to  its  delegates,  and  the  telegraph  companies  free  trans- 
mission to  its  messages.  It  has  been  largely  aided  by  grants  of 
Bibles,  religious  books,  tracts,  &c.,  from  the  Bible  and  publishing 
societies,  and  donations  of  newspapers,  religious  and  secular, 
from  the  publishers  of  those  papers  ;  its  delegates  are  volun- 
teers, whose  expenses  of  living  are  alone  furnished  by  the  Com- 
mission, and  who  spend  some  weeks  or  months  in  ministrations 
of  kindness  to  the  sick  and  wounded  ;  it  has  also  employed  a 


very  large  corps  of  volunteer  chaplains  to  visit  the  regiments 
and  brigades  of  the  army,  and  manifest  their  sympathy  with  the 
soldier,  and  seek  to  improve  his  physical  and  moral  condition. 

It  has  commissioned  for  this  work  more  than  six  hundred  dele- 
gates, lay  and  clerical,  has  disbursed  for  expenses  and  purchases  of 
stores  about  $120,000,  and  distributed  stores  and  supplies  to  the 
amount  of  $400,000  more,  aside  from  the  gifts  of  free  passes  and 
telegrams  by  railroad  and  telegraph  companies,  which  would 
amount  to  nearly,  or  quite,  $100,000. 

About  150,000  Bibles  and  Testaments,  and  as  many  volumes 
of  other  works,  generally  of  a  religious  character,  have  been  dis- 
tributed by  its  delegates,  besides  12,000,000  pages  of  tracts,  over 
450,000  newspapers,  150,000  hymn  books,  350,000  temperance 
documents,  and  40,000  to  50,000  magazines  and  periodicals. 


48 


Appendix  D. 

BIBLE,  TRACT,  AND  PUBLICATION  SOCIETIES. 

Though  none  of  these  were  originated  by  the  war,  they  have, 
without  exception,  made  large  grants  of  their  publications,  and 
those  of  them  which  employ  colporteurs  or  delegates  have  sent 
to  the  army  earnest  and  efficient  workers  to  minister  to  the 
physical  as  well  as  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  soldier.  The 
American  Bible  Society  has,  either  by  direct  grant  or  through  its 
auxiliaries,  furnished  either  a  Bible  or  a  Testament  to  all  of  our 
soldiers  who  would  accept  it ;  and  has  also  furnished  large  num- 
bers to  the  rebel  prisoners,  and  to  the  rebel  army.  The  two 
National  Tract  Societies  have  made  large  grants  of  their  pub- 
lications, and  have  sent  colporteurs  or  missionaries  into  the  field 
to  visit  the  hospitals  and  regiments,  and  see  to  the  proper  dis- 
tribution of  their  books;  and  the  American  Sunday  School  Union, 
the  Episcopal  Tract  and  Book  Societies,  the  Presbyterian  Pub- 
lication Board  and  Publication  Committee,  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Board  of  Publication,  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society, 
the  American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  and  the  Methodist  Book 
Concern,  have  all  contributed  largely  to  swell  the  amount  of 
religious  reading  in  the  army.  The  cost  of  books  thus  distributed 
does  not  fall  below  $300,000. 


49 


Appendix  E. 

MISSIONARY   SOCIETIES. 

With  some  exceptions,  the  efforts  of  these  societies  have  been 
addressed  to  the  evangelization  and  spiritual  oversight  of  the 
freedmen,  or,  as  they  are  popularly  called,  "  contrabands." 

A  very  considerable  number  of  the  missionaries  of  the  American 
Home  Missionary  Society,  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society,  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Domestic  Missions,  and  other 
similar  organizations,  have  become  chaplains  in  the  army  or 
hospitals,  or  delegates  of  the  Christian  Commission,  and  have 
performed  valuable  and  efficient  service  in  these  capacities.  In 
a  few  instances  they  have  been  sent  to  occupy  fields  to  which 
before  the  war,  there  was  no  admission  in  consequence  of  the 
opposition  of  slaveholders,  as,  for  instance,  in  Missouri,  Wester, 
Virginia,  and  Tennessee. 

The  American  Missionary  Association,  the  American  Baptist 
Free  Mission  Society,  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety, and,  perhaps,  some  other  organizations,  have  commissioned 
missionaries  to  labor  among  the  freedmen  at  Washington, 
Fortress  Monroe,  Port  Royal,  and  Helena,  Arkansas.  In  some 
instances,  these  missionaries  have  also  ministered  to  the  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers.  The  aggregate  expenditure  of  these 
societies  for  missionary  labor  among  the  freedmen  and  soldiers 
is  about  $50,000. 


50 


.A.ppendix  P\ 

LADIES'  AID  AND  RELIEF  SOCIETIES. 

The  number  of  these  it  is  impossible  to  estimate.  There  are 
few  cities  or  towns  of  considerable  size,  few  villages  even,  iu 
which  there  is  not  at  least  one  of  them,  which  collects  money, 
and  prepares  clothing,  hospital  stores,  and  hospital  furniture  for 
the  army. 

In  the  cities  there  is  usually  one  to  each  church,  and  sometimes 
a  larger  one  to  which  the  lesser  are  auxiliaries.  Many  of  these 
send  their  collections  of  money  and  supplies,  directly  or  indirect- 
ly (through  the  Women's  Central  Association  of  Relief),  to  the 
United  States  Sanitary  Commission;  some  (at  the  West)  send  to 
the  Western  Sanitary  Commission  ;  some  to  the  Christian  Com- 
mission ;  a  considerable  number  to  the  New  England  Soldiers' 
Relief ;  or  to  the  State  Relief  organizations  at  Washington,  St. 
Louis,  and  elsewhere  ;  or  to  individuals  who  will  distribute  their 
supplies  ;  while  some  have  their  own  agents  in  the  field,  or  at 
Washington,  Louisville,  Nashville,  Memphis,  &c.,  and  distribute 
their  bounty  through  them. 

The  Women's  Central  Association  of  Relief,  No.  10  Cooper 
Union,  New  York,  though  now  a  branch  of  the  United  States 
Sanitary  Commission,  antedates  that  body  in  its  organization. 
It  was  formally  organized  on  the  29th  of  April,  1861,  and  com- 
bined in  itself  several  other  associations  which  had  been  pro- 
jected for  the  same  purpose,  that  of  energizing  and  concentrating 
the  efforts  of  the  women  all  over  the  country,  who  were  desirous 
of  doing  something  for  the  army,  either  in  the  contribution  and 
preparation  of  clothing,  hospital  furniture  and  stores,  or  of  serv- 
ing as  nurses  and  assistants  in  the  hospitals,  &c.  It  has  collected 
about  $30,000  in  money,  and  a  vast  amount  of  stores,  clothing, 
&c.,  all  of  which  have  been  handed  over  to  the  Sanitary  Commis- 
sion. It  was  as  representative  members  of  this  Association  that 


51 


Rev.  Dr.  Bellows  and  Dr.  E.  Harris  united  with  Drs.  Van  Buren 
and  Harsen,  representing  other  organizations,  in  that  memorial 
to  the  Secretary  of  War  which  led  to  the  creation  of  the  Sanitary 
Commission. 

The  "  Ladies'  Aid  Society  of  Philadelphia"  is  an  independent 
organization,  of  even  earlier  date  than  the  "  Women's  Central 
Association  of  Relief."  It  was  founded  on  the  26th  of  April, 
1861,  only  eleven  days  after  the  President's  first  proclamation, 
and  has  proved  a  most  effective  helper  in  the  care  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  soldier.  The  secretary  of  the  Society,  Mrs.  John  Harris, 
a  lady  of  the  highest  respectability  and  social  position,  has 
superintended  in  person  the  distribution  of  the  supplies  furnished 
by  the  Society,  spending  many  months  with  the  army,  and  pre- 
paring food  and  clothing,  and  nursing  the  sick  and  wounded  with 
as  assiduous  care  as  the  most  tender  and  loving  mother  could 
have  done. 

She  has  been  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  what  Florence  Night- 
ingale and  her  coadjutors  were  to  the  English  army  in  the  Cri- 
mean war.  Yet  it  would  be  wrong  to  bestow  this  meed  of  praise 
on  her  alone,  for  though  few  have  done  more  than  she,  there  are 
others  who  have  done  nearly  as  much.  Many,  whose  own  hearts 
have  been  sorely  smitten  by  the  casualties  of  the  war,  like  the 
widow  of  Major-General  Richardson  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
the  widow  of  General  Lander,  in  the  Army  of  the  South, 
and  the  widows  of  General  W.  H.  L.  Wallace  and  of  Governor 
Louis  P.  Harvey,  in  the  Army  of  the  Mississippi,  have  found  con- 
solation for  their  own  sorrows  in  ministering  to  the  wounded  and 
dying  of  the  army.  Mothers,  whose  sons  have  fallen  on  the  bat- 
tle-field, have  sought  to  do  a  mother's  duty  to  those  who  lay  at 
death's  door,  from  wounds  or  sickness,  without  a  mother  to  com- 
fort them  ;  and  sisters,  bereft  of  a  brother's  love  and  care,  have 
sought  by  deeds  of  kindness  to  others,  to  alleviate  the  anguish 
of  the  wounds,  which  the  war  had  brought  to  their  own  hearts. 

But  to  return  to  the  Ladies'  Society.  Its  disbursements  had 
been  about  $40,000  in  money,  and  over  $200,000  in  supplies,  pre- 
vious to  recent  battles  of  the  first  days  of  July. 

There  are  many  more  of  these  Ladies'  Aid  Societies,  which  are 
deserving  of  especial  mention,  such  as  those  of  Hartford,  Con- 
nectic^it  ;  Cleveland,  Ohio  ;  Peoria,  Illinois  ;  Cincinnati,  Chicago, 


52 

Indianapolis,  Louisville  and  St.  Louis.  All  of  them  have  been 
abundant  in  good  works,  and  several  of  them  have  acted  inde- 
pendently of  any  other  association  or  commission  ;  but  more  of 
them  were  organized  quite  as  early  as  the  two  we  have  named. 


53 
.A-ppendix  Gr. 

j 
UNION   RELIEF  ASSOCIATIONS. 

These  are  generally  composed  of  persons  of  both  sexes,  and 
have  usually  had  for  their  object  the  special  assistance  of  the  sick, 
wounded,  disabled,  furloughed,  or  discharged  soldiers  of  some 
particular  State  or  States.  One  of  the  most  efficient  of  these  has 
been  the  New  England  Soldiers'  Relief  Association,  founded  by 
sons  of  New  England,  resident  in  New  York,  April  3,  1862.  It 
has  not  confined  its  benefactions  to  New  England  soldiers,  but 
has  aided  and  cared  for  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  from  all 
the  States,  when  passing  through  New  York.  It  has  thus  re- 
lieved over  twenty  thousand  soldiers,  furnishing  meals,  lodging, 
hospital  attendance,  and  service  in  obtaining  back  pay,  pensions, 
and  discharges,  and  in  preventing  the  frauds  so  constantly  at- 
tempted to  be  practised  on  the  soldier  by  the  designing  and  un- 
principled. Its  expenditures  in  money  have  been  about  $20,000, 
and  it  has  received  and  disbursed  large  quantities  of  supplies, 
but  of  these  we  cannot  ascertain  the  exact  amount.  Its  lady 
members  have  undertaken  to  furnish  from  their  own  number  a 
corps  of  nurses,  who  have  attended  regularly  in  their  turns,  to 
minister  to  the  sick  and  wounded,  and  a  voluntary  corps  of  night 
watchers  was  organized  from  the  gentlemen. 

The  Union  Relief  Association,  of  Baltimore,  is  another  very 
efficient  organization,  just  now  (July,  1863)  overwhelmed  with 
the  care  of  a  vast  number  of  the  wounded  from  the  battles  around 
Gettysburg.  It  originated  from  the  benevolent  impulses  of  the 
loyal  citizens  of  that  city,  who  had  seen  with  bitter  indignation, 
its  fair  fame  disgraced  by  the  cowardly  mob  who  attacked  the 
Massachusetts  Sixth  Regiment,  on  the  19th  of  April,  1861,  and 
the  subsequent  high-handed  abetting  of  treason  by  some  of  its 
prominent  citizens.  It  was  organized  on  the  28th  of  June,  1861, 
and  has  been  remarkable  for  the  intensity  of  its  loyalty,  and  its 
earnest  effort  to  render  every  aid  and  comfort  in  its  power  to 
Union  soldiers.  Similar  organizations  exist  in  most  of  the  largo 
cities  of  the  country. 


54 


Appendix  H. 

VOLUNTEER   REFRESHMENT    SALOONS,    SOLDIERS'    HOMES,    SOLDIERS' 
RESTS,  &C. 

Under  a  variety  of  names,  these  places,  where  food,  and,  if 
necessary,  lodging,  and  in  some  cases  temporary  hospital  attend- 
ance, are  furnished  gratuitously  to  soldiers,  either  in  squads 
or  regiments,  are  becoming  numerous. 

Some,  like  the  Soldiers'  Rest,  in  New  York,  or  the  Park  Bar- 
racks formerly,  are  established  by  State  or  city  authorities  ; 
others  by  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission,  like  the 
Soldiers'  Home  and  Soldiers'  Lodges,  at  Washington  and  at 
Aquia  creek  ;  others,  by  the  Western  Sanitary  Commission,  as 
at  St.  Louis,  Memphis,  and  Columbus,  Kentucky,  while  a  number 
are  the  results  of  the  spontaneous  benevolence  of  citizens  in  the 
vicinities  where  the  soldiers  pass  in  the  largest  numbers.  Among 
the  most  remarkable  of  these  are  the  "  Union  Volunteer  Refresh- 
ment Saloon  "  and  the  "  Cooper  Shop  Refreshment  Saloon,"  in 
Philadelphia.  The  origin  of  the  first  named  was  as  follows  : 
When  the  three-months'  men  commenced  passing  through  the 
city,  there  were  no  arrangements  for  feeding  them,  nor  for  taking 
care  of  the  sick.  The  citizens  living  upon  the  streets  between  the 
landing  and  the  depot  gave  the  soldiers  water,  tea,  and  coffee, 
and  often  more  substantial  nourishment,  but  being  hard-working 
people,  they  could  ill  afford  even  so  limited  benevolence.  At 
length  Bazilla  S.  Brown  gave  notice  that  he  would  receive  and 
dispense  at  a  convenient  place  upon  the  sidewalk  whatever  arti- 
cles of  food  his  friends  might  see  proper  to  contribute.  He  com- 
menced his  labor  of  love,  with  eleven  pounds  of  coffee,  upon  a 
curbstone,  and  from  that  simple  beginning  of  a  poor  but  good  man, 
this  benevolent  institution  took  its  rise.  The  necessity  for  con- 
certed action  was  soon  apparent,  and  the  Union  Volunteer  Re- 
freshment Committee  was  accordingly  organized  on  the  2tth  of 


55 

May,  1861.     The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  first  notice  by  tele- 
graph of  the  expected  arrival  of  a  regiment  : 

OFFICE  OF  CAMDEN  AND  AMBOY  ) 
K.  E.  TRANSPORTATION  Co.     j 

PHILADELPHIA,  MAT  27,  1861. 

R  S.  BROWN,  DEAR  SIR — "We  have  a  dispatch  from  New  York  stating  that  the 
Eighth  New  York  Kegiment  leave  New  York  to-day,  and  will  arrive  here  about 
3,  A.  M.  About  eight  hundred  men  in  the  regiment. 

Yours,  truly, 
(Signed.)  E.  J.  BUKROWS. 

The  Committee  procured  a  small  building  (formerly  a  boat 
shop  and  riggers'  loft),  situated  near  the  southwest  corner  of 
Washington  and  Swanson  streets,  and  have  gradually  increased 
;ts  dimensions,  until  the  main  saloon  covers  a  lot  of  ground  95 
by  150  feet,  and  twelve  hundred  men  can  now  be  accommodated 
at  a  time  at  the  tables,  while  the  most  ample  facilities  are  fur- 
nished for  washing,  bathing,  and  writing  letters.  By  these  means 
nearly  three  hundred  thousand  soldiers  have  been  received, 
entertained,  and  provided  for,  since  the  commencement  of  the 
war.  Two  hospitals  are  attached  to  the  institution,  containing 
at  present  fifty  beds,  for  the  use  of  the  soldiers,  or  those  who 
have  been  soldiers,  who  break  down  on  their  journey,  or  are  too 
much  enfeebled  to  proceed  at  once  to  their  homes,  a'nd  would 
otherwise  have  been  thrown  helpless,  among  strangers. 

The  "Cooper  Shop  Refreshment  Saloon"  originated  about  the 
same  time  and  from  similar  circumstances.  It  is  at  1109  Otsego 
street,  but  a  short  distance  from  the  Union  Saloon,  and,  though 
not  quite  so  large,  has  had  a  growth  and  career  very  much  like 
its  neighbor.  Both  are  liberally  sustained  by  the  citizens  of 
Philadelphia,  and  no  regiment  or  company  of  soldiers  passes 
through  Philadelphia,  either  going  to,  or  returning  from,  the  seat 
of  war,  without  experiencing  the  hospitality  and  kind  attentions 
of  one  or  other  of  these  institutions.  The  receipts  of  the  two 
in  money  and  supplies  have  been  somewhat  more  than  $200,000 


56 


.Appendix    I. 

HOSPITALS  AND  ASYLUMS  FOB  SICK  AND  DISABLED  SOLDIERS . 

At  the  time  when  the  earlier  great  battles  of  the  War  created 
a  demand  for  hospital  accommodations  for  scores  of  thousands  of 
the  sick  and  wounded,  the  Government,  though  it  had  made  what 
provision  it  could  for  the  emergency,  was  but  poorly  provided 
with  hospitals,  well  and  properly  furnished,  and  was  compelled 
to  call  upon  the  civil  hospitals  of  the  large  cities  to  receive  large 
numbers  of  patients  who  needed  immediate  care,  and  could  not 
await  the  erection  of  temporary  hospitals. 

In  this  way,  in  the  autumn  of  1862,  the  large  civil  hospitals  of 
Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  Pittsburg,  New  York,  Brooklyn,  Boston, 
Cincinnati,  Chicago,  and  St.  Louis,  were  filled  to  overflowing, 
and  still  there  was  a  demand  for  more.  In  Washington,  nearly 
all  the  churches  of  the  city  were  taken  for  hospital  purposes,  and 
in  Philadelphia,  several  churches  were  temporarily  used  for  the 
same  purpose.  Large  private  residences  and  warehouses  were 
for  the  time  being  transformed  into  hospitals.  It  was  stated 
that  there  then  were  130,000  sick  and  wounded  requiring  hospital 
accommodations,  In  New  York,  in  addition  to  the  established 
civil  hospitals,  the  fine  building  just  completed  for  a  Foundling 
Hospital,  on  the  corner  of  Fifty-first  street  and  Lexington  avenue, 
and  a  large  building,  formerly  an  arsenal  in  the  Central  Park, 
were  tendered  to  the  Government  by  the  city,  and  the  busy  hands 
of  the  ladies  were  tasked  to  furnish  the  necessary  hospital  furni- 
ture for  them. 

In  Philadelphia  a  large  hospital,  with  capacity  for  five  hundred 
beds,  on  the  corner  of  Broad  and  Prince  streets,  was  erected  and 
furnished  mainly  by  the  efforts  and  personal  labor  of  the  mechan- 
ics of  the  vicinity,  much  of  the  labor  being  performed  at  night,  af- 
ter the  regular  toil  of  the  day  was  done.  The  Government  furnish- 
ed medical  and  surgical  attendance,  nurses,  medicines,  and  rations 


57 

for  the  patients,  but  there  was  need  of  changes  of  clothing, 
delicacies,  food  not  coming  within  the  rations,  but  more  suitable 
for  the  sick;  and  stationery,  postage  stamps,  papers,  &c.  These 
were  all  furnished  by  the  ready  contributions  of  the  citizens,  as 
was  the  case  also  in  all  the  military  hospitals  throughout  the 
country. 

As  soon  as  possible  the  Government  erected  extensive  hospi- 
tals, and  rented,  or  accepted  where  the  city  authorities  or  citi- 
zens tendered  buildings  suitable  for  their  purpose,  and  arranged 
a  system  of  complete  hospitals,  on  a  scale  sufficiently  large  to 
answer  the  demands  even  of  the  vast  army  now  in  the  field.  Wash- 
ington has  now  twenty-two  military  hospitals,  affording  accom- 
modation for  ten  thousand  patients  ;  Baltimore,  hospitals  for 
about  three  thousand  ;  Philadelphia  twenty-six  hospitals,  with 
accommodation  for  thirteen  thousand  ;  Pittsburgh  four,  with  ac- 
commodation for  three  thousand  ;  the  New  York  and  New  Eng- 
land department,  thirteen,  with  about  nine  thousand  beds,  beside 
a  number  of  small  post  hospitals  ;  St.  Louis  and  vicinity,  thir- 
teen, with  beds  for  ten  thousand  patients,  and  Floating  Hos- 
pitals on  the  Mississippi,  accommodations  for  about  the  same 
number.  The  hospital  accommodations  at  New  Orleans,  Mem- 
phis, Nashville,  Louisville,  Indianapolis,  Cincinnati,  Columbus, 
Cleveland,  Chicago,  Keokuk,  Davenport,  and  other  points  in  the 
West,  swell  the  aggregate  possible  number  of  beds  to  nearly,  or 
quite, one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  without  again  occupying 
civil  hospitals.  To  all  these  the  contributions  of  hospital  delicacies, 
clothing,  &c.,  have  been  and  still  are,  constant,  from  the  Sanitary 
Commissions,  the  Christian  Commission,  Ladies'  Aid  Societies, 
and  individual  donors. 
8 


58 


.Appendix  J. 

INDIVIDUAL    EFFORTS. 

We  have  already  alluded  in  this  Appendix  to  some  of  the  abun- 
dant instances  of  personal  self-sacrifices  for  the  care  of  the  sick 
and  wounded,  but  they  are  so  numerous  that  it  is  vain  to  attempt 
to  do  justice  to  all.  A  few  others,  however,  are  specially 
deserving  of  honor,  from  the  extent  and  continuance  of  their 
labors.  Among1  these  may  be  named  Miss  D.  L.  DI'XJ  so  widely 
known  for  her  labor  in  behalf  of  the  insane,  and  who  very  early 
in  the  war  undertook,  under  Government  appointment,  the  super- 
intendence of  the  hospitals  in  Washington  and  its  vicinity  ;  Miss 
S.  M.  Powell,  of  New  York,  who  engaged  in  similar  duties,  with 
a  zeal  and  discretion  worthy  of  the  highest  praise;  Mrs.  T.  J. 
Fales,  and  Miss  Clara  Barton,  who  were  the  pioneers,  where 
many  others  have  since  followed,  in  ministering  to  the  wounded 
on  the  battle-field,  and  whose  energy,  promptness,  and  "tender- 
ness, as  well  as  their  endurance,  have  Won  for  them  the  almost 
idolatrous  affection  of  the  soldiers  ;  Mrs.  General  Lander,  and 
Miss  Fanny  D.  Gage,  who  have  done  so  much  for  th6  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers  at  Port  Royal  and  vicinity  ;  the  Misses  Mor- 
rison, also  of  Washington  ;  H.  M.  Pierce,  LL.  D.-,  of  New  York, 
who  spent  months  in  hospital  superintendence,  and  rn  urging 
upon  the  Government  the  establishment  of  an  efficient  ambulance 
service;  Mr.  C.  B.  Barclay,  of  Philadelphia,  one  of  the  most  eminent 
citizens  of  that  city,  who  gave  up  home,  family,  and  society,  to 
devote  himself  to  the  personal  service  of  the  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers,  and  in  about  one  year,  from  means  furnished  by  himself 
and  his  friends,  contributed  over  $100,000  in  supplies  for  their 
comfort ;  Mr.  S.  B.  Fales,  a  well-known  art  connoisseur,  who  has 
been  one  of  the  most  efficient  contributors  to,  and  laborers  in,  the 
Union  Volunteer  Refreshment  Saloon  in  Philadelphia  ;  Judge  J. 
E.  Yeatman,  of  St.  Louis,  President  of  the  Western  Sanitary 
Commission,  and  Hon  Mark  Skinner,  of  Chicago,  President  of 


59 

the  Chicago  Branch  of  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission, 
both  of  whom  have  given  themselves  wholly  and  freely  to  the 
work  of  supplying  the  needs,  and  providing  for  the  care  of  the 
wounded  in  the  Western  armies  ;  Rev.  H.  A.  Reed,  and  his  noble 
wife,  and  C.  M.  Welles,  of  Washington,  D.  C ,  whose  labors  have 
been  as  abundant  and  their  services  as  arduous,  as  most  of  those 
we  have  named;  and  a  host  of  others,  nameless  here,  but  to  be 
held  in  everlasting  remembrance  of  Him  who  overlooks  no  deed 
of  charity  and  love. 


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